Trinity Baptist Church June 17, 2007
Ruth: God redeems
Hope Rekindled!
Ruth 2:1-24
Someone wrote, "Anytime you get to know another person, you’ll likely discover something. Invariably, people are marked by two kinds of past experiences -- both of them from earlier relationships. The two are acts of malice and acts of kindness. It’s no surprise that unkind acts bubble back up when people remember past relationships. Pain has a long memory. But acts of kindness -- those stand out for a different reason -- it’s because they’re so amazingly rare."
Malicious acts center on the person who triggered the pain. Acts of kindness focus on the person for whom the kindness was done. Somebody defined kindness as "doing something for someone else without expecting payback.”
Think for a second about a time when somebody did something kind for you. How did you feel -- when they did something for no reason -- except to meet a need? More thank likely you felt loved -- because that’s what kindness exhibits. Kindness flows from love for people, which stems of course from the love of God.
We started a short series last week in the book of Ruth. The first chapter of this four-act drama we called, “The Road Home“. The 75-mile trek Ruth and mother-in-law Naomi took to Bethlehem was a sad one. It came more than a decade after another journey -- one made by Naomi and her husband. There had been a famine in Israel in those days and this couple -- simply took things into their own hands. They packed up their sons and they left God’s land and God’s people. They also separated themselves from God’s promises by taking off to find relief in the neighboring pagan country, Moab. Their objective was to find food, but their mode of pursuing their objective got them way off-track.
We observed that Elimilech and Naomi were products of their generation. Ruth 1:1 informed us, they lived in the OT period of the judges. That was a spiritual “dark ages” in Israel’s history. The sad commentary of Judges 21:25 was in those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own minds. A lot like our time in history. God’s people had forgotten God. And Elimelech -- whose name meant The Lord is King -- also forgot God. The couple ignored God’s declaration that He was Israel’s Provider -- He was the One Who gave rain and harvests and food to His people. And instead of throwing themselves on God to provide, even in the desperate time of famine, Eli and Naomi just moved.
Things didn’t turn out well. First Elimilech, then both sons died in that pagan country. By that time, the sons had Moabite wives. Chapter 1 told us Naomi decided then to go home -- she’d heard that God’s hand of provision was open to His people again.
She started off with the two daughters-in-law -- but along the way then urged them to return and stay with their people and their god. One did, the other did not. Ruth. The one who did not, along with her mother-in-law is the one to whom God is going to exhibit kindness and grace. He won’t do it like we might imagine: He will do it indirectly, through kind people.
Chapter 1 ended reporting that Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem just as barley harvest is starting. That’s where chapter 2 picks up the story. This chapter is going to offer us two powerful illustrations of God’s kindness. It’s in kindness that God proves His mercy and faithfulness to us. You know if you’ve read this book, that God’s plan is to redeem these two women. When chapter 2 opens, God’s already working His plan. And like we talked about last time, God often accomplishes His desires, not with astounding miracles, but quietly and indirectly by His providence. In the case before us, it will be through faithful and kind people.
I want to begin by scanning two portraits of God‘s kindness. Chapter 2 introduces us to the story’s human hero -- Boaz. But we begin with the first person through whom God’s kindness comes to light. It’s in Ruth‘s faithfulness to Naomi
Look at chapter 2. Verse 1 signals that God is up to something -- that’s why we get the immediate introduction to God’s man Boaz. But jump to verse 2.
Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimilech.
When Scripture wants us to grasp its point, it incorporates literary devices like repetition. That’s what’s used here.
First, we’ve read, there’s a certain man, a man of great wealth. This Boaz is a relative of Elimilech, making him kin to Naomi and Ruth. Ruth gains permission and goes out to glean and -- just happens to find herself in a field gleaning which belongs to Boaz. And in case you missed it: Boaz, again, is one of Elimilech‘s relatives. That word happened is loaded with irony. There’s no accident there.
If there’s one thing Scripture does not teach, it is the idea of luck or happenstance. That word happened is hemmed in on both sides with Boaz’ identity for a reason -- the writer is grabbing our attention to remind us of something: God is the hero in this account and His invisible hand moves in unseen ways to bring His man into the lives of these two women.
The OT concept of gleaning is mentioned. Scripture talks a lot about poor people. In the Bible, there are both righteous and unrighteous poor people. The righteous poor might include widows, orphans, the sick, immigrants and hard-working people who struggle to make ends meet.
The unrighteous poor, as we glimpsed in Proverbs include people who are lazy, or others
who are poor because of foolish spending or sin or drunkenness. But we need to understand something: God has deep affection and concern for righteous poor people. Throughout Scripture, God moves His people to meet the needs of the poor. One way God arranged for that to happen was through gleaning. Gleaning allowed poor people to do honest labor to obtain food. When God gave them a way of working for provision, God granted poor people dignity.
Some states and countries still have gleaning laws. They allow people to follow harvesters and pick or pick up what the harvesters or equipment misses. The idea behind gleaning is this: the earth and all it contains belongs to God Who created it. And if we as God’s people get that Truth -- and if we believe it and if we’re faithful to it, we will find ways to make provision for the poor. When we do that, we’re just sharing God’s provisions -- we’re passing on blessing -- by blessing others. That reflects God’s kindness.
Ruth’s request to go glean says two things about: first, she knows enough about God’s law to know that gleaning is a way to provide for them. Secondly, it communicates character.
She’s not a complainer, she just goes to work -- and she works hard in a time in life that‘s awful. Like we saw with her pledge to Naomi, she’s going to be faithful and loyal. And, she will also trust God’s hand to lead her -- she talks about going out and finding favor in someone’s eyes. Ruth’s faithfulness exhibits God’s kindness.
The second picture of that is in Boaz’ faithfulness
Ruth happens to come into part of the barley field belonging to Boaz. That was the first irony. There’s another one. She happens to be there as Boaz comes to see how the harvest is progressing.
Verse 4 -- as he comes to the field, his first words aren’t what you’d expect to hear from a boss to employees. They sound more like a prayer. He says to the reapers, “May the Lord be with you.” The workers’ response isn’t usual either: it sounds like a passage in Numbers 6 where the priest would bless the people and they would bless him in response. May the Lord bless you.
It’s no stretch to realize Boaz is unusual. He stands out remarkably in that generation that had forgotten God. With Boaz, what he believed and what he did every day weren’t separate pigeonholes of life. Instead of having a little corner for his spiritual life, he demonstrates faithfulness -- he lives out what he knows is True about his God. This book tells us, he’s not just a wealthy man who might help Naomi and Ruth in material ways, this is God’s man. He he’s blesses many people with what he has -- he gives them work, he provides them good wages and he treats them with kindness.
We’ll find out he’s got a good reputation in the community. People speak well of him because he cares about others and mirrors God‘s kindness. There’s mutual respect between him and his workers. He’s also observant and involved. In verse 5, he looks across the field and --- there’s a young woman he doesn’t recognize. He asks who she is.
The foreman replies that she’s the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab, and she said, “please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves”. Thus she came and has remained from morning until now. He reports she has worked steadily and hard -- she’s only taken a short break. Later in the chapter we find out that Boaz knows Ruth‘s story. He knows she’s from Moab, and that she’s a relative by marriage. Coming with Naomi, she decidedly left Moab behind and embraced Israel and Israel’s God. The foreman has told him now that Ruth is humble, submissive and hard-working. She didn’t demand the right to glean like the Law allowed, she came and asked. She’s worked long hours. She’s only come briefly to the shelter to get out of the heat.
Boaz demonstrates more kindness. In verses 8-9 he approaches Ruth and tells her not to leave his fields. Maybe she’d have thought she would have abused the gleaning privilege by staying too long at his field. Instead he says, stay here with my servant girls. Watch where the men are and follow along after the girls. I’ve told the men not to touch you. And whenever you’re thirsty, go get a drink from the water jars the men have filled. He calls her my daughter. Boaz treats her with the affection of a family member.
I can’t help but thinking of Isaiah 58 where the prophet wrote, that "this is the kind of fast which is acceptable in God’s sight." That His people clothe the naked, that they feed the hungry and that they take away their shame. This scene in Ruth reminds me of the most popular and accepted kid in Jr. High or High School approaching and accepting the most unacceptable kind of person. Boaz is granting legitimacy to Ruth, he’s giving her a life, essentially. She’s no longer a dirty foreigner, she’s been received and accepted into God’s community.
Boaz has put a shield of protection around Ruth. If anyone bothers her, because she’s a foreigner, they’ll answer to him. So in the place of disdain and mistrust that foreigners often receive, Boaz gives compassion, kindness and care, just like we give to someone close to us. Out of sheer kindness and grace, he gives her protection and provision.
That’s why we see the dramatic reaction from Ruth in verse 10. She bows toward the ground -- why have I found such favor in your eyes -- that you should even notice me -- because I am a foreigner. Boaz offers a partial reason. He says, I know all about what you have done for Naomi since your husband’s death. You left your own father and mother and your homeland to come and live with a people you’d never known. Boaz asks God’s blessing on her.
May the Lord repay you for what you’ve done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.
He knew the details. And as such he has high regard for what Ruth’s actions. He wants to reward her but he also prays God will as well. Ruth has sowed kindness, now she will reap kindness. Her decision to do kind things comes back to benefit her.
Verse 12 reminds you that prayer can dangerous. Whenever you pray for someone, you should realize God’s will often will be that you are part of the answer. Boaz isn’t just putting on a religious show by praying for a needy person, he’s going to be quite willing for God to use him.
Ruth takes his blessing and kindness with gratitude. Imagine hearing words like his -- exactly the right ones for a person in her state. Not only could she continue to glean in on Boaz’ property, she now had protection and family status. He invites her to come eat with the workers. He gives her a big enough portion that she could pack up some and take it to share with Naomi. After the meal, she didn’t sit -- she was off to work again.
Boaz adds to what he’s done and said. He instructs the harvesters pull out some stalks from the bundles leave them for her to pick up. Ruth worked until evening; then she threshed the barley. She took home 20 to 25 pounds of grain -- enough to feed Ruth and Naomi for a week.
Ruth and Boaz: two loud and clear demonstrations of God’s kindness. They offer us life and blood illustration of what it’s like to be a mirror of God’s kindness to people around us.
So, as we think about their examples -- instead of just concluding with learning the lesson of how God uses people to demonstrate His kindness, I’d like to think about we can be the same kind of mirrors. The message here is -- kindness is the kind of character and behavior God wants in us who believe. If we’re faithful, we ought to be exhibiting this facet of God’s character.
How can you and I Be a mirror of God’s Kindness
Let me suggest some ways to get there.
The first one lays the foundation.
1. Never forget God’s kindness toward you. (Titus 3:4, 5)
In Titus 3 Paul reels off a litany of the rotten deeds of mankind -- and then he says this, …when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy… (Titus 3:4, 5)
There’s a habit we often develop after we’ve been Christians a while. We forget the reality
of what we were when God found us. That’s one reason it’s easy to compare ourselves with others and look down our pious noses at folks who need to know God‘s kindness in flesh and blood. A lesson we shouldn’t overlook from this book of Ruth is -- we have all been foreigners.
Ephesians tells us we were strangers to the covenant, we were ere without God and without hope in the world.
We were citizens of another kingdom -- the dark realm of sin and Satan. But God showed forth His kindness through our Savior -- His love for mankind appeared and He saved us. God’s demonstrated kindness, the NT says, is uniquely designed to draw people to Himself. If you want to be a reflection of God’s kindness, never allow the Truth of God’s grace to fade from your active memory. Memorize some verses like Titus 3:4-6. Re-read over and over the book of Ephesians. Take some time in your prayer regularly to rehearse God’s kindness despite your undeserving history. And then ask God to turn His kindness outward from your toward others.
2. Assume you can meet needs.
I have a tendency -- when I meet someone who‘s needy, or I pass someone whose car has died, or I think about a specific need -- my first thought is often. “Well, nothing I can do. I don‘t have the money; I‘m not a mechanic; I can‘t help everyone.”
There’s a question that should come to our minds when we’re confronted with needs in others. It’s “What can I do?” Kindness doesn’t mean I give or provide what isn’t mine. In the account, Ruth had no money -- no resource to offer her widowed mother-in-law. So how did kindness come flowing out? She just used what she had -- she went to work. What can you do for whom? Boaz had means -- and he consistently used what he had, not just money, but influence and relationship and all God had given him, he employed it for the good of others.
Then, just
3. Open your eyes to needs and do some good.
I read a book about 4 years ago that still chews on me. I used to sort of think that Christians were only obligated to help out other Christians. We should help out other Christians, no doubt about that. But that book I read took a NT verse and camped on it. Don’t you just hate it when a verse gets at you and you can’t do anything except learning ways to obey it?
The verse was Galatians 6:10. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:10)
Paul says, “do good.” Consistently, broadly, to all kinds of people. You won’t always have the opportunity, so while you do, do good. Unbelievers, people you know well, people you don’t. So for me that means,
* Do good to people close to you. Scripture tells us we have responsibility for people nearest us -- for instance family members. Like in the relationship between Ruth and Naomi and in that more distant one between the two women and Boaz. For members of our spiritual family. You need to take note of what’s happening with your brothers and sisters and make certain that people aren’t trying to function all on their own without daily needs and the like.
And, * Do good to people in poverty. We have pretty much left this to the government and social service agencies. But Scripture is plain: God’s people are to meet specific needs. That doesn’t mean we throw money from a safe distance; it also doesn’t mean we simply give handouts. Like with gleaning we should help in ways that allow people a measure of dignity, like City Impact (inner city ministry in Lincoln, NE) does through the Prom Closet and Gifts of Love. You and I need to get involved in living out our faith with the poor and not leave it up to organizations alone. City Impact and People’s City Mission would be great places to volunteer, or mentor.
And, * Do good in the community
Again, Galatians 6:10 doesn’t allow our normal limit to doing good to Christians. It says,
do good to all people. We saw that in Boaz. He was a generous and kind employer; he reached out and offered protection and provision, even to someone who didn’t work for him. He was kind to people for whom he bore no societal responsibility. But he was mirroring what he knew to be True of God. That’s what we need to be about.
Steps I will take
Would you get specific right now and jot down before you leave today a person you know and a kind thing you could do this week for them?
Some of your family members need to experience our kindness. There are people here in the body who need some encouragement. You’ll run on to people at work, or elsewhere who need to experience the kindness of God. I got to know two different people this week and not too long into the conversation, both of them came out with some hurt in their family. There’s God’s open door to do something kind.
Expressing kindness isn’t huge or complicated. It’s just gracing someone’s life with good. It’s letting God’s Spirit take you and whatever He’s put in your hand and using you to act in kindness toward others. The result is, God can impact the life of the Christian or even the unbeliever as you allow Him to use you. Will you do that?
