Be a Boaz

Ruth 2:1–7 “Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.””

Leviticus 19:9 ““When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest.”

Deuteronomy 24:19 ““When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”

Ruth Chapter Four: No Such Thing as Chance (Ruth 2:1–13)

A middle-aged man went for a routine physical. The nurse came in to update his medical information. She asked him, “How much do you weigh?” He said, “Oh, about 165.” Somewhat suspicious, the nurse had him step on the digital scale and then said, “Hmmm, you weigh 210 pounds, to be exact.”

She then asked him, “How tall are you?” He said, “About six feet.” She looked him over and then asked him to step up to a measuring chart posted on the wall. “Well, you’re actually 5 feet 8½ inches tall,” the nurse reported.

She took his blood pressure and then gasped, “Sir, your blood pressure is extremely high!” “High!” he said, “What’d you expect? When I came in here I was tall and lanky, and you’ve just informed me I’m short and fat.”

Why was Boaz not already married?

Ruth 2:1 “Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.”

He was a man of valor

Joshua 6:2 “And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.”

Ruth Boaz Is Greatly Respected in Bethlehem

Some Old Testament scholars go so far as to suggest that Boaz was one of Gideon’s 300 valiant men.

He was a man of influence

1 Samuel 9:1 “There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth.”

He was a man of faith

Ruth 2:4 “And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.””

Ruth 2:5 “Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?””

Ruth It’s Possible to Be Self-Sacrificing, Even When the Culture around You Is Self-Serving

This is the Hebrew equivalent to “Wow … who is that?!

He was waiting for God’s best

Ruth 2:5–7 “Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.””

Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Ruth It’s Possible to Be Self-Sacrificing, Even When the Culture around You Is Self-Serving

what the world might have considered a coincidence was nothing less than Divine Providence.