Ruth, Day 3
Ruth 3
Every relationship has expectations and duties. The vast majority of the time I mow the lawn at my home. Currently, mowing the lawn is at the top of my to-do list. It’s been neglected too long and needs to be addressed. Even though it needs to be addressed and it’s my “job” to do it, if my wife were to come to me and demand that it be done, I wouldn’t appreciate a request made in that mindset. I prefer a gentle reminder that I need to carry out my role.
In Ruth Chapter, 3 we see a scenario play out where there are expectations and duties expected of one side. However, they are requested in humility.
In Ruth 3:2, Naomi says to Ruth, “Is not Boaz our relative?” This statement can cause confusion. What Naomi is getting at is she is referring to Boaz’s role as goel (which is sometimes translated “kinsman-redeemer”) for the family of Elimelech.1 The kinsman-redeemer had many roles. The role specific to this story is he was responsible to carry on the family name by marrying a childless widow from the family of Elimelech.2 With that in mind, Boaz had a duty towards Elimelech’s family and Ruth had a right to appeal to Boaz to fulfill that duty. What we see develop in Chapter 3 is Naomi’s coaching of Ruth on how to appeal to Boaz to fulfill that duty.
This leads to the next confusing and awkward passage. “And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down” (Ruth 3:7). This action by Ruth can be misunderstood as a provocative gesture when really it was a cultural sign of submission.3 David Guzik says, “In that day, this was understood to be the role of a servant — to lay at their master’s feet and be ready for any command of the master.”4 Ruth had a right to expect Boaz to marry her but she came not demanding her rights but in humility trusting Boaz.
This leads me to ask, “What is your attitude towards God?” God has promised to do certain things for us. He has promised to be with us always and to work all things out for good. With that in mind, do you approach Him with an attitude of entitlement demanding He do what you want, or do you approach him in humility saying, “I trust you”?
God owes us nothing, but through adoption into His family by the blood of Christ, He makes available to us all the spiritual blessings of being in the family of God (Ephesians 3:3). I think we can learn from Ruth’s actions to approach God in humility and trust, reminding ourselves that His ways are better and that He is trustworthy, instead of approaching with an attitude of entitlement. This is not because God can be manipulated for our own benefit, but because it will help us to be more open to following where He leads, and following where He leads will ultimately be better for us.
Pastor Adam
- https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Rth/Rth-3.cfm?a=235001
- https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Rth/Rth-3.cfm?a=235001
- https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Rth/Rth-3.cfm?a=235001
- https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Rth/Rth-3.cfm?a=235001