Ruth: God at Work in Our LivesSample

Righteous Living 

The passage introduces the concept of a kinsman redeemer. According to the local Jewish custom, a male relative can raise an heir for a relative who dies childless. Naomi does not have an heir as her husband and both her sons died and Ruth does not have a child. So she is on the verge of losing their family land. It is in this context, she advises Ruth to pursue Boaz. 

The entire proposal seems risky in all aspects. Desperate times, the mood of celebration, seclusion of the threshing floor and the cover of darkness provide irresistible temptation. But we see righteousness blossom from two individuals who are deeply committed to Yahweh. 

Ruth pleads with Boaz to marry her. Boaz graciously accepts and honors her. Ruth could have seduced Boaz. Or Boaz could have taken advantage of his position and used Ruth or even shamed her for coming at night and rejected her. 

But Ruth makes her stand clear, “Marry me!” And Boaz makes his intentions clear by granting her request and honoring both Ruth and Naomi. 

God is a righteous God and He fulfills His purposes righteously. We don’t have to help God. When we take a stand in righteous living before God and people, God honors us by standing with us. 

There are no shortcuts in God’s economy. Jesus did not take shortcuts. He took the path God ordained for Him even when it meant He had to suffer and die. Jesus stood condemned even though He was righteous so that we can stand righteous even though we deserve condemnation.