The courage you need to do the next right thing
Sometimes God asks us to take action and do the right thing, even if it requires immense boldness and courage. In this episode, we highlight Boaz’s natural actions of obedience that God used to do the supernatural. If you are fighting the internal battle to do something that you know is the next right step but requires more than you think you can handle, this episode will help empower you to take action and do the right thing.
Transcript
We have a saying in our house, “If it’s the right thing to do, you do it.” We use that saying to guide our actions, whether picking up litter, helping a neighbor, or confronting a responsibility that requires immense boldness and courage.
I love the book of Ruth. There are many nuggets of wisdom tucked inside each verse. Some seem to hit you right in the face, and others are more silent but hold so much meaning, like Ruth 4:1. In Ruth 4:1, we see Boaz confronted with an opportunity to take action and do the right thing to honor his relative and provide for Naomi and Ruth.
Here’s the verse…
“Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.”
In Hebrew culture, if a man died, leaving a widow without a son, the man’s closest male relative, the kinsman-redeemer, would marry the widow. The redeemer would take on this responsibility to produce an heir for the deceased relative and provide for the widow. It was an honorable, obedient act but not a tiny commitment.
Naomi’s husband and two sons died, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law childless and without a male heir for protection (Ruth 1:5). Boaz knew he wasn’t first in line but took action to redeem Naomi and Ruth and was willing to take on the heavy load (Ruth 3:13).
He took the proper action required of him and waited and acted obediently (Ruth 4:1). Boaz sat by the town gate, knowing the rightful redeemer would pass by and legal counsel would witness the interaction.
The town gate was the heart of the city – full of activity and the place where town elders oversaw legal procedures. Boaz took all the precautionary measures (Ruth 4:4) to ensure that Naomi and Ruth would receive their redemption and he would restore their hope.
Boaz’s boldness, integrity, and obedience to follow God’s will and what was written in law foretell how Jesus would seek, save, and redeem the lost (Luke 19:10).
Boaz’s natural actions of obedience allowed God to move in supernatural ways. This unlikely event of a Jew and a gentile coming together to be married had an eternal impact that would be part of the promise of God’s chosen people. Ruth would become a mother to a son named Obed and a blood relative and great-grandmother of King David (Ruth 4:17). Ruth, a gentile in the gravest of situations, was fully redeemed and in the lineage of the ultimate redeemer, Jesus Christ. A foreshadow again of God’s grace and love and that all are welcome in the body of Christ.
Like Naomi and Ruth, we need a savior, a redeemer, to save us from sin. But, as Ruth remained confident in Boaz, we can remain confident knowing that our God is faithful and He will provide for us as we abide in Him, stay obedient, and take action to do the right thing.
Boaz was boldly obedient to God’s will. So, I ask, In what areas is God calling you to be boldly obedient?
