Ruth, Relationships, and Reputations

I’ll be delivering a Sunday message at my church for the first time ever this month! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little nervous (just kidding…a lot nervous). I don’t consider myself to be the world’s best public speaker, but I’m happy to be able to help my pastor as he and his family will be away on a trip. Here, I’ll share a written version of the sermon I’ll be presenting.

UPDATE: If you’d rather listen to this piece, check out the recording below!

The book of Ruth is short at only four chapters, and it’s also one of only two books in the Bible named after a female. The story begins as a woman named Naomi moves with her husband and sons to a land called Moab from Judah. Her Husband dies, and, after her sons get married, they, too, pass away. This leaves poor Naomi with just her two daughters-in-law. She urges them to return to their families. Orpah, one of the wives, goes, while Ruth, the other, stays.

After Naomi tries to coax Ruth to leave her and start a new life, the dutiful daughter-in-law says something that would make most mother-in-laws pass out:

“…‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her” (Ruth 1:16-18).

As we explore the rest of this book together, I think you’ll come to find this story is an incredible example of how God blesses the faithful — not just those who are faithful to him, but faithful in relationships of all kinds.

The book of Ruth is all about relationships, after all. I want you to think for just a moment — is there anyone you would make this kind of sacrifice for who’s not related to you by blood? Keep this in mind as we continue our journey with Ruth and Naomi.

Naomi and Ruth travel to Bethlehem (which is not a coincidence…you’ll see why later). They have to survive somehow. So, Ruth works in a nearby field that just so happens to be owned by a man named Boaz, who is what they call a “kinsman-redeemer” (a male relative who, according to Jewish law, had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need).

Boaz was related to Naomi’s late husband. He sees Ruth working his fields and treats her with extreme kindness. You see, word got around as to the sacrifice she made in coming to Bethlehem with Naomi. He stops to speak with her and says:

“…‘I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.’” (Ruth 2:11-12)

The first lesson this teaches us is that relationships are built on reputation. This passage is a great Biblical reminder that reputation is everything and you may be the only Bible people ever read. Those you’ve never even met will hear of your character, and that can open paths you never thought possible. It was because of Ruth’s dedication to Naomi that she was recognized as someone honorable. She didn’t follow Naomi because she thought she’d be rewarded for it – she did it because she knew it was the right thing to do. It was who she was at her core and this made her stand out.

Looking to return the favor (as well as look out for her own future), Naomi gets to work playing matchmaker. She instructs Ruth to go to the threshing floor where Boaz works. Fair warning, I know this sounds sketchy and a bit scandalous, but I promise it’s not. When Boaz lies down to sleep, Ruth is told to uncover his feet. This was essentially a marriage proposal in those times, signaling she wished for him to fulfill his duty as a kinsman-redeemer.

He accepts, saying, “‘The Lord bless you, my daughter’…‘This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character’” (Ruth 3:10-11).

Our second lesson here is that quality relationships of all kinds, not just romantic ones, are built on heart and character, not outward appearance. This is Biblical. It’s also echoed in 1 Samuel 16:7, which states, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

But uh-oh…there’s one small issue here. We find out in Ruth 3:12-13 that although Boaz is a kinsman-redeemer of the family, there is another man who is more closely related. Boaz asks Ruth to stay there for the night (again, I know it sounds shady but it’s not what you think), and says he will talk to this other man and see if he wishes to take on his duty as kinsman-redeemer. If not, Boaz states, “…as surely as the Lord lives I will do it.”

After speaking with this man the next day, Boaz comes to an agreement with him and marries Ruth. Now here’s where things get really interesting. They end up having a child who they name Obed. Obed ends up being the father of Jesse, who is the father of King David…who is of the same bloodline of Jesus himself.

While there are many lessons we can take away from this short book, I want to highlight a couple I observed in my own reading.

●     When we honor others even when it might not have an immediate reward in it for us, God blesses us. We see this in the way Ruth dutifully follows Naomi even after she’s told to go and make a new life for herself. For all she knows, she’s forfeiting the chance to find another husband in favor of caring for a woman who would otherwise be completely alone. At the start of this, she has no way of knowing she’ll meet someone and even have a child. She simply does what she knows is the right thing to do. I’m not saying things will always work out like this, but the opportunity to bless other people through unselfish actions shouldn’t be passed up if you can manage it. You may be passing up a big blessing by doing so…even if it’s just the warm, fuzzy feeling you get knowing you made someone’s day.

●     God honors the faithful. This pertains to our relationship with him, but also our relationships with others here on earth. We see this in multiple ways throughout the book. Naomi doesn’t have to walk the world alone as an older, childless woman. She is blessed with Ruth’s company and eventually a grandson. In turn, Ruth is blessed by Boaz before they are even romantically involved. Her reputation precedes her, and he ensures she is safe as she works in his fields. Naomi blesses Ruth with her wisdom in telling her how to go about revealing her feelings for Boaz. Boaz is blessed for redeeming Ruth and Naomi by receiving Ruth as his wife. The entire family is blessed with the birth of a son, who ends up being a part of Jesus’ own bloodline. Now that’s what I call a happily ever after!

Before I close, I want to encourage you to read the book of Ruth for yourself this week. Even if you’re already familiar with it or have read it once or twice, I promise each time you read it, you’ll glean something you hadn’t before. If you take this challenge upon yourself, I’d be happy to read any comments you leave with your own observations.