One of my favorite books in the bible is Ruth. This was the first book where Jesus’ love began to make sense to me. It was better than a light bulb moment. It was the beginning of an “ah-ha!” without fully grasping the depth of the message. Every time I read the book of Ruth, I would be teleported to that ancient land as I watched the scenes play out before me. I began to admire Ruth’s character and she became one of the strongest women of faith in my eyes, unafraid to set her pride aside and forget everything her culture taught her. In her grief, she chose love.
Before I go on, I must get this off my chest-this will NOT be a “Boaz to the rescue” post. Sorry! I’m over the books, the t-shirts, the commentary from other single women; quite frankly, I’m over the entire “Where’s My Boaz?” movement. All I need is an #overit t-shift to solidify the vibe. I like to think of Boaz as a side character where the stage lights conveniently shines on him when it’s time to say his lines and then quickly casts him into darkness as Ruth enters. Every person had an important part to play, but if Ruth decided to honor Naomi’s wishes and return home, would we even be reading about her? Would Boaz even matter? The latter is irrelevant. The point remains that the book is titled Ruth for a reason and if we give side characters our full attention, we miss the beauty of the message.
Little is known about Ruth, the bible doesn’t give much away about her backstory or marriage. I read the book several times, hoping to find a clue that would lead to further insight. One of the unspoken facts I picked up on is that Ruth didn’t have children in her first marriage. I believed God closed her womb until it was time for her to meet the right man and that insight is an entirely different blog post in itself. But knowing that she didn’t have any ties to her marriage besides a tombstone and an elderly woman, one might think she would return to her family in a heartbeat. However, the relationship she had with Naomi was much stronger than returning to the remnants of her past. Ruth clung to her mother in law, accepting Naomi’s culture and God, regardless of what awaited her in the foreign land to come. She was determined to remain faithful to her mother in law even unto death.
Ruth’s loyalty put Jesus’ love into perspective for me. When you love someone, there is no amount of fear, pain or discomfort that will ever make you abandon the one you adore. Their problems and their needs become your own and you will fight for them and make sacrifices regardless of the cost. You will leave behind everything that is familiar in order to go into a foreign land to ensure your beloved’s safety. You will boldly depart from everything that does not allow you to be set apart and edified for the mission at hand. You will work in a field while men are cat calling at you and face the dangers of being raped in order to feed your mother in law. You will provide provision where there was once lack and you will work tirelessly because the one you adore is in need. In an age that discarded widows, Ruth-a woman was determined to provide for Naomi at all costs. And because of Ruth’s love and sacrifice, God honored her.
In Isaiah 58:6, God clearly defines what true fasting is: “Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? …and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like noonday.”(Isaiah 58:10) In Ruth’s darkest moment of grieving, she chose love. I can see her honoring her late husband by becoming his mother’s provider. I can only imagine the anxiety and fear she had by being a stranger in a new land and working in a field with no familiar faces. But when she accepted Yahweh as her God, she became His child and He orchestrated her blessings before she crossed over into the new land. He provided protection in the field, abundance in the wilderness and He made strangers into advocates to fight on her behalf. God honored her with marriage and replaced her grief with joy. She experienced the true love of a husband and poverty, she knew not of. Ruth practiced true fasting and God blessed her for it.
When we refuse to accept the world’s customs-to overlook the homeless, ignore the elderly, abandon orphans, and be afraid to love on people with Covid-19…just to name a few, we are practicing true fasting in our age. The Bible says you will be called a Repairer of Broken Walls, a Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. (Isaiah 58:12) This type of love we have been gifted with, His love, has the capacity to instill hope in people, building up their temples to be strong and wise and it has the power to completely remodel communities. Like Ruth, when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and go out of your way to help those who are less fortunate, you are partnering up with the Creator of the universe to be a blessing to those who are in need. You will become someone’s blessing and you will be continually blessed by Him because there is no lack or poverty in His kingdom.
Wow! That was really good. You are a gifted writer for sure. Thank you for sharing your heart.
Thank You Cheryl.
I really love your perspective, and reawakening us to see from the eyes of Ruth. This shows us that we should take a pause from the, “I need my Boaz,” mission, though he is but one of her rewards. As you pointed out, it came from her faithful obedience to her mother-in -law, which in turn she was also rewarded with a rich and loving relationship with Daddy (God). This beautiful obedience was also rewarded by becoming apart of the lineage of Jesus. How fun is that? Thanks again for the reawakening to the reason her name is the title of the book. You’re amazing 👏 💖 bravo to you.