Good Monday to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
Do you have some compassionate and generous people in your life who like to bless you? Perhaps you are one of those rare people who find great joy in serving or just being a blessing to others, even anonymously? Oh, I thank God for such people, my best friend and dear wife Dawn is one of those people!
Did you know the Bible is filled with those types of people and that’s because a genuine, life changing relationship with God very often produces generosity and compassion in a person! I think Mr. Boaz was that type of person. Over the past few days, we’ve met him in the story of two widows, Naomi and Ruth as found in the Bible book of Ruth. If you’ve been with us on this journey, this weekend Naomi advised Ruth to go to the threshing floor in Bethlehem and meet Mr. Boaz. Ruth did, and Boaz promised her that he would assume responsibility for them, seeing to the matter of their ‘kinsman redeemer’ the very next day.
As wonderful news as that was, for it would provide for Naomi and Ruth long term, Boaz did something again which tells me he was a very compassionate and generous man. The record says: “Boaz said to Ruth, ‘bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.’ When she did so, Boaz poured into it six measures of barley… When Ruth came to her mother-in-law Naomi, Ruth told her everything Boaz had said and done for her and added, ‘He even gave me these six measures of barley, saying to me, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty handed.” (Ruth 3:15-17)
I wonder if you see the God honoring character and tender heart of Mr. Boaz in this encounter with widow Ruth? What do you see as the reputation Boaz was consistently building with every interaction he had with Ruth? Is the Spirit of God saying something to you and me about our reputations, which we are building with our behavior and our words?
As Ruth tried to understand what all this meant, Naomi gave Ruth some wise counsel: “Wait, my daughter, until we find out what happens. For Boaz will not rest until this matter is settled today.” (Ruth 3:18) How are you at WAITING? Is patience difficult for you, my friends? Psalm 37 has helped me with WAITING. Three times in that Psalm is the phrase “Do not FRET…” Seems to me “fret” is the opposite of “wait”. While there are many antidotes to “fret” in Psalm 37, I find three statements which have helped me greatly with my natural tendency toward impatience and ‘fretting’….
* Psalm 37:3 “Trust in the LORD and do good…” Do you see the combination of a condition of the heart of TRUST and an action, “do good”? Those two things working together defeat anxiety and Fret!
* Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Do you see the secret to this formula? Delight and desire are linked together in all of us, aren’t they? Most of us passionately pursue whatever we desire thinking it will bring us great delight eventually. But here God says the reverse is true… if we DELIGHT in God first, then we’ll find the God honoring desires of our heart will be met! I think that’s what the apostle Paul discovered so he could write: “I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Phil.4:12)
* Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him…” My friends, have you found the close connection between ‘being still’ and finding your heart filled with God given patience?
I’m sure both Naomi and Ruth’s hearts leaped for joy as they waited and considered the promise of Boaz, that if the other relative who was actually a closer relative, did not step forward to assume responsibility for Naomi and Ruth, then Boaz would do so, “as surely as the LORD lives”, he had said! Boaz had worked all his life to build a God honoring reputation and legacy in this small town, Bethlehem, and it seems clear to me his actions now, in regard to these two women, would call others in Bethlehem to rise to the occasion and the opportunity God had presented them with two widows needing honorable care.
I call all of us men to do the same. Look around your network of people whom you know. Who are the widows and are they living safely, well cared for and honored? Are there any who need your help?
Boaz was a man of his word, and Ruth chapter 4 opens with this statement: “Meanwhile, Boaz went to the town gate and sat there.” The word “meanwhile” tells me that Boaz had entrusted his piles of grain at the threshing floor to some of his workmen while he went, early in the morning, to the city gate of Bethlehem at the same time Ruth was explaining to Naomi what her encounter with Boaz had been like.
Perhaps you wonder why Boaz went to the city gate? In those days even small villages like Bethlehem had a wall built around it for protection. This city gate was perhaps the only way in and out of the city. The leading men of the city would sit at the city gate watching the flow of people in and out of their city, throughout the day, ensuring no one came into their town who was unknown or suspicious. Safety was a priority!
But the leading men of the town also sat at the gate so they would be available to anyone of their villagers who may need help with something, especially if a disagreement between villagers had arisen or someone wanted to purchase property etc. Boaz had some important business to discuss with another relative of Naomi which would result in a huge decision.
Who would assume responsibility for widow Naomi for the rest of her life, as was their Jewish culture obligation when a relative died leaving his wife a widow!? This would be no flippant, easy decision and unknown to these men at the city gate, this decision would affect the future of the nation of Israel for the rest of time!
Let’s pause here and ponder the weight of the decision facing Boaz and the other man, regarding Naomi and Ruth and the future. With only a few weeks remaining in 2023 perhaps you are facing some very complex decisions which may determine the course of the rest of your life or your family?
Have you learned to not “fret” and wait on the LORD? Is Psalm 37 significant for you these days? Here’s a song to help us reflect while we wait… and I’ll meet you right back here, at the Bethlehem city gate, tomorrow as we see how this remarkable story concludes and impacts Israel’s history, even to the present day!
Today’s Scripture is Ruth 3:15-17.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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