Ruth 2:11
“And Boaz answered and said to her, ‘It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.'”
The book of Ruth is one if the most beautiful love stories ever written. In it, we read of a wealthy landowner who falls in love with a young servant girl, and goes to great lengths to earn her hand in marriage. His story is so fascinating that, until recently, it was part of the mandatory reading in public high schools, and as a result, was the first Bible story I ever read. While the assumption is that Ruth must have been physically attractive, that is not what caught the attention of Boaz. He was drawn to her for her character and her commitment to the Lord.
Ruth 2:11
“And Boaz answered and said to her, ‘It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.'”
Ruth made a decision to lay her life down, first for the God of Naomi, and then for Naomi, herself. She left her culture, her religion, and homeland, to remain with her mother-in-law, even if it meant she would never have a husband, children, or life of her own. This act of self-sacrifice was driven by her commitment to God and became a testimony that spread throughout Bethlehem.
Ruth 1:16-17
“For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”
Relationships are key to successfully following Christ, and no relationship is more important than the person we choose to marry. Boaz is a good example of a man who waited until he met someone who was as committed to God as he was. His wealth and status in the community would have afforded him the opportunity to pursue the woman of his choice, but he chose to wait. It was not until he met Ruth, who not only spoke of being a follower of God, but demonstrated it with her lifestyle.
Pastor Jim
“If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” I am quite certain most of us have heard this little slogan. The lesson in it is, there is no way to get a job done properly, unless you alone are the one to do it. I would guess each of us could supply loads of empirical data that would support such a statement. We have all given a task to another, only to find they proved less than qualified to accomplish it.
Jim Gallagher 