GETTING THE LUCKY BREAKS...
Ruth 2:1-23
INTRO: Some people put a lot of stock in “luck.” That explains why I always get stuck in line paying for gas behind someone buying lottery tickets. Last week, the Kentucky Derby – “The most exciting two minutes in sports.” Trust me, the excitement has nothing to do with a love for horses. While many base their lives on luck, others are convinced that if it wasn’t for bad luck, they wouldn’t have any luck at all. How do you relate to “luck”?
The Bible doesn’t talk at all about luck. Instead, it talks about ‘favor.’ But Christians often think of God’s favor in the same way others think about luck. Instead of blind chance, the Scriptures point us to a personal God who bestows favor on people.
Do you desire God’s favor? Do you have any idea if or how you will receive it? Today we will discover how we can experience God’s favor in our lives, as we continue in the book of Ruth.
How do we receive God’s favor?
Naomi and Ruth could certainly have blamed bad luck for their circumstances – dead husbands, sons, and no future. But in our text today we will see an amazing story of God’s favor, and we will glean some important insight about obtaining God’s favor.
A. Boaz’s introduction (1)
Read Ruth 2:1
The table is set with an enticing introduction of Boaz, for later reference. Probably a close relative. “Man of standing” (NIV) often translated “man of wealth”, but term is “mighty man”, referring often to military prowess, here to high social standing and noble character. Like the English “knight.” All further references point to his character, not wealth. Same wording used of Ruth is 3:11 w/out reference to wealth...
B. Ruth’s initiative (2)
Read Ruth 2:2
Ruth asks Naomi’s permission to go out and find some work, get some food. They were in desperate need. Urgent sense of language implies she went out the morning after they arrived. She is resolved to provide her own (& Naomi’s) keep. Though she had the right to glean (pick up after the reapers), she needed someone’s favor - she was, afterall, a “Moabitess.” The law allowed her to glean, but landowners could be very uncooperative.
C. God’s intervention (3)
Read Ruth 2:3
“As it turned out” - gives the impression of blind chance/luck. It just so happened she ended up in Boaz’s field...
Of all the fields in all the places, she ends up in Boaz’s.
Here we see an important step on the road to receiving God’s favor. The first step has to do with how you view your circumstances. In a situation like this, you have to decide:
Is this a coincidence? Or is God involved? God’s involvement in the affairs of people, guding them to his intended end is what we call providence. What do you make of this scene?
Clearly, the writer sees this as providence, not just coincidence.
We can almost hear the writer’s tone of voice as he chuckles. We can almost see his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.
Ruth 2:4 and Ruth 2:19-20 make it clear God is behind this seeming “luck”
This is providential in that it is Boaz’s field (he is a man of standing and a relative, and in a moment we will see that he takes notice of Ruth.
God is constantly at work behind the ‘seen,’ arranging the events and people in our lives to flood us with his favor.
Illus.: When we moved back to California in 1975, I ‘just happened’ to be put on George Munzing’s baseball team. He took me to church and I found faith in Jesus Christ. Luck, or providence?
We often think we are not recipients of God’s favor because we fail to see his providence in our lives. We write things off to coincidence. But if you want to receive God’s favor, you must:
1. RECOGNIZE GOD’S HAND IN YOUR LIFE
You must become aware of the times and ways that God arranges things for your good. Is it by chance that you lived where you did or went to school where you did? ‘Chances’ are, you have received far more of God’s favor than you recognize. Spend some time today, or this week, cataloging the times God has shown up for you.
We must learn to recognize God’s providence at work in our “coincidences”. If we look, we’ll see God’s smile!
What comes next if we want to receive God’s favor?
A. Boaz’s arrival
Let’s look at Ruth 2:4 again and look for the second step to receiving God’s favor. “Just then” lends drama to the scene.
The boss shows up on the scene and greets his people.
Now, this verse reminds me a lot of the way things work around here during the week. Often when I come into the office I say, “The Lord be with you,” and Tim and John and Lee Anne and Logan and Glenna if she is here shout back to me, “The Lord bless you.” Yeah, right…
“Peace be with you” normal, this unusual.
Greeting shows his godliness, benevolent nature.
B. Ruth’s request
As we read Ruth 2:5-7, notice the request Ruth has made…
Boaz cares enough about his workers to notice a new one. This is another providential moment – that he takes notice.
He assumes she is connected to someone else.
Her request was unusual - not just to glean, but “gather among the sheaves.” This is something like gleaning from that which has been harvested and collected. Ruth asks for more than she is entitled to. She asks for provision.
The picture is of a holy boldness and a confident patience, as she worked in the fields awaiting the answer.
She has set herself up for either a very positive or very negative answer.
Let’s read Ruth 2:8-9 to hear Boaz’s response.
C. Boaz’s response
Boaz’s answer is amazing. She got the job! Boaz gives her permanent work, meaning she doesn’t have to looking elsewhere.
He also gives her protection, saying the men have been warned to keep their paws off of you. Ruth was young and attractive enough to get Boaz’s attention. Working in the fields could be dangerous. Like sending your beautiful daughter to work sweeping up at a construction site.
Boaz even grants her access to precious water! Obtaining water would have required leaving the field and taken precious time from gleaning. This is far more than she could have hoped for! She has received favor! Boaz becomes the source of God’s blessing to Ruth. How often God uses people in our lives to convey his blessings.
There is a significant point here. All that Boaz gave her came because of her request, because she asked for it. If she hadn’t made the bold request, she wouldn’t have gotten the bold response. This is the second step to receiving God’s favor. You and I must:
2. REQUEST GOD’S FAVOR
We must be willing to ask God to grant us favor. James, in the NT speaking about wisdom, says “You do not have because you do not ask.” That certainly applies here as well. If you want God’s favor, need his favor in a certain situation, ask for it. Asking that gets answers is asking that follows careful, quiet listening to discern God’s ways. Certainly this is what Ruth did.
Illus.: My friend Scott, who by day develops computer applications and by night provides training and materials for the underground church in China. He travels to China multiple times every year. He just returned last week from his latest jaunt. In an email from his wife Patti, she made this comment:
“We are aware of how when Scott travels to China he experiences God’s favor in large ways.” [This means he doesn’t get arrested, people respond well to his teaching and material, etc.] “We know this is because so many of you are praying and requesting God’s protection and favor for him.”
Appl.: Where do you need, want God’s favor in your life? Stop and listen, and when you think you have God’s leading, ask for favor accordingly. For instance, perhaps there is a co-worker you would like to share your faith with. Ask God to show you his path. When you sense he has revealed something or is impressing something on you, ask his favor for that specific avenue.
Now, let’s continue discovering how we can receive God’s favor. As I read Ruth 2:10, notice Ruth’s response to all this favor she has received.
A. Ruth’s response to God’s favor
Ruth responds to the grace and favor of Boaz with an expression of gratitude. This may seem like overkill in our culture, but that’s only because we tend not to be very grateful…
But all this overwhelming favor leads her to ask a significant question: “Why?” “Why are you doing all this for me?” It shows a remarkable humility, rather than an entitlement mindset. But it also brings us right to the heart of the matter. The way this passage is structured in the original Hebrew makes it clear that this is the very center, the heart, of the issue.
Let’s look at Boaz’s answer to Ruth’s question of “Why?” As we do, we will learn something essential about why and to whom God bestows his favor. Read Ruth 2:11-12.
B. The reason for God’s favor
It is Ruth’s faith that Boaz has responded too.
She was faithful to Naomi, showing her commitment to her by leaving her homeland and going with Naomi, even after her husband died. And she has shown her faithfulness to God. She has taken refuge under his wing.
He asks God to “reimburse” her, give her the wages of faith.
God rewards faith. In the NT we find these words:
Hebrews 11:6
God rewards those who seek him in faith. He bestows his favor on them.
But the story doesn’t end here. Notice how the favor continues to pour out on Ruth as we read Ruth 2:13-16.
C. The overflow of God’s favor
Boaz has given Ruth “comfort” and “spoken to her heart.”
Ruth continues to realize her humble position. But things just continue to get better.
Picture the scene: Ruth showed up that morning unemployed, no resume, no “connections”, a foreigner. She gets hired on for the day, then is given permanent status and some nice benefits. Then, the boss asks her to join him and other long-standing employees for lunch! This was the original power lunch as we’ll see
She had a great lunch, with “a heap” left over to take home!
He served her - indicates he accepted her as a trusted reaper!
A promotion and a bonus!
He granted extended reaping privileges
He told the workers not to rebuke or “harass” her
We receive God’s favor in our lives when we:
3. REMAIN FAITHFUL
Ruth had some very “good luck” that day.
Getting the “lucky breaks” is more than just being in the right place at the right time. When we are faithful to God, we will find God’s favor on our lives.
Ruth’s faithfulness wasn’t a flash in the pan. She didn’t reap this abundant favor just for having one good day. She had hung in there over the long haul. Her faith was evident for a long time. If you want God’s favor, commit yourself to faithfulness for the long haul.
The first three steps put us in a place to receive God’s favor. When we recognize God’s hand already at work, when we request his favor, and when we remain faithful, we are set up to experience and realize God’s favor in our lives. Our fourth step shows us what to do when we see his favor poured out onto us. Let’s see what Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi thinks about all that has transpired in our story as we read Ruth 2:17-19.
A. Ruth’s present to Naomi
This result of all Ruth’s work is a take of an ephah (30-50 pounds!). Not to mention the immediate provision of leftovers! She was able to present this “bonus” to Naomi
Naomi recognizes favor has been shown to Ruth. “Where did you get all of this?” Finally, something good is happening.
Let’s read on to get Naomi’s response. Read Ruth 2:20-23.
B. Naomi’s response.
Learning the source of this favor, she breaks out in praise to God. He is a close relative! This meant job security, but there’s more. Boaz was a “kinsman-redeemer”. This significant Hebrew concept becomes very important to the story. A redeemer had the right and obligation to redeem land that was sold, people sold as slaves, etc. Naomi realizes he is a potential husband for Ruth! She would have about 7 weeks to watch it play out.
Naomi’s expression of praise is a reflection of her grateful heart – she is thankful! Not too long ago, she was bitter, but now she sees God working on her behalf, and she sees the favor bestowed upon her, and she recognizes that God is behind it, so she gives thanks.
When we realize that we have received God’s favor, it should make us grateful. This is the fourth step in receiving God’s favor. We must:
4. RESPOND WITH THANKS
When God gives us his favor, we should return to him with thanksgiving. Too often we expect God’s favor, get mad if we don’t receive it, and then fail to thank him when we do. [Show clip from Groundhog Day with ungrateful kid falling from tree] The classic illustration of this is the 10 lepers that Jesus healed. Of the 10, only 1 returned and gave thanks. How often we are like that.
Perhaps today you need to recognize the favor you have received from God, and give him thanks.
CONCL: Stop counting on “luck”. Embrace the living God who delights in giving His grace and favor to His faithful children.
