“Fiduciary” – Ruth 3

Ruth 3


“Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”

“So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 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. At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.


”So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’”She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Some traditions, actions and accounts in the Old Testament leave us scratching our heads. I mean what’s all this about Naomi telling Ruth to lay down at Boaz’s feet while he slept? Ok, feigned nativity aside, I believe Naomi was encouraging Ruth to, as the kids say, “lock it down.” But I think this next chapter in the story is just one more glimpse into Boaz’s character. 

He had already displayed care and generosity for Ruth by allowing her to glean wheat from his field. But sometimes we do good for ulterior motives. We give a little to get a little. And Ruth didn’t have many options left. Boaz certainly could have taken advantage of the situation, but he showed integrity and true concern for Ruth, even her reputation. He made it clear to her that he wasn’t about to cut any corners in taking care of her. 
There’s a term in the investment world relating to this – “fiduciary.” Some financial advisors get kickbacks and perks from certain products that they sell, even if it’s not the best option for their client. But a fiduciary is legally bound to have their client’s best interest in mind, even if it doesn’t benefit the advisor as much. It’s the attitude of ‘client first.’  
Boaz was acting in a fiduciary capacity. Look at his words above. He was saying in effect, “look, Ruth, I’m going to make sure that you’re taken care of. And we’re going to go about it the right way.”
In God’s economy, the ends don’t justify the means. And when we act with integrity and as a fiduciary towards others, God will honor that and our actions will glorify Him. God’s blessings will outweigh any perks we might be tempted to finagle by cutting corners or helping ourselves as we “help” others. 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
  • Have there been times when your charity has been a mask for what you might benefit from the action?
  • Do you even think this is an issue? Why or why not?
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Jon Price, Associate Pastor

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“That’s What Family Does” – Ruth 2

Ruth 2

“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.”

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”

And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.”

Ruth was doing her part to pull her weight while living with Naomi and God rewarded her faithfulness by drawing the attention of an unknown relative to act as a kinsman-redeemer. This was a role created by God in His law to help care for those in trouble or need. It was the responsibility of the wealthy to look after their less fortunate relatives, and Ruth had unwittingly stepped onto the land of such a person. Boaz assured that Ruth wouldn’t be harassed in the field and even made provisions to restore some of her dignity by inviting her to walk with his women and even have access beyond what was normally permitted.  

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • What are your thoughts on the responsibility of family helping family? 
  • Have you experienced a family member or someone else stepping in and helping you in a time of need or trouble? 
  • How can you ‘pour out’ this week to someone in need or in trouble? (ie. a niece in college who could use a surprise gift card, an elderly neighbor needing help in their yard, or a person at work in need of encouragement, someone in your church family going through a difficult trial)

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 

Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?

Jon Price, Associate Pastor 

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“What do I do when everything falls apart?” – Ruth 1

Ruth 1

“In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. 


Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 

And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. 

So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” 

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.”
The book of Ruth starts out pretty bleak. After a famine and the death of her husband and adult sons, Naomi was ready to throw in the towel. It reminds me of the phrase from the Hee-Haw song, “if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”* She decided to return to her homeland where at least she could be miserable around people she knew. As she left behind the tatters of the life they had created, she gave her daughters-in-law the free pass to start life over on their own path. But Ruth wouldn’t hear of it. She had cast her lot in with her mother-in-law and was ready to face whatever came next as long as they were together. 
Use the HEAR method (see below) as you spend time with today’s passage and consider the following questions:
  • Has there been a time in your life that might have been good material for a sad country song? How did you handle it? What was your next step?
  • Was there someone that helped you through that time?  
  • Is there someone in your life now that, as long as you’re together, you can deal with any situation?
  • How does God fit into that equation for you? 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 

Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
*Buck Owens and Roy Clark, “Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me”
Jon Price, Associate Pastor

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“God is always the hero!” – Ruth 4:13-17

Ruth 4:13-17

“So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

The Bible shows history through the lens of human brokenness and God’s grace, and Ruth is one of the best examples of that view. The book of Ruth details everyday struggles through famine, sin, bitterness, selfless courage, redemption, restoration, and joy.

While the period of the judges was a dark time in history, a widow (Naomi) and her widowed, gentile, daughter-in-law (Ruth) find redemption through a “kinsman-redeemer” (Boaz). A kinsman-redeemer was someone who would buy and take care of the land and family of a deceased or poor kinsman (Leviticus 25:25, Deuteronomy 25:5).

Although we see Ruth’s love for Naomi, Naomi’s advice for Ruth, and Boaz’s love for Ruth, God is the hero. He gave grace to a gentile and her bitter mother-in-law, placed her into His family, and made her the grandmother of David, which leads to Christ. A Moabite is redeemed and in the genealogy of Jesus. God is always the hero!

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • Can you point to times when God has been the hero in your life? 
  • Who can you share that story with this week? 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you?
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Pastor Stephen Williams

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“One Step at a Time” – Joshua 3:17

Joshua 3:17 

“And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.” 

God has a unique way of doing things. His way of salvation is different from anyone else. It is through Jesus Christ alone. His way of getting us through life is definitely unique. When Joshua needed to cross the Jordan River, God moved the water for him. Joshua and all the people still had to cross Jordan, but God made it possible.

Something that has really intrigued me is what God expected Joshua to do. First, He commanded Joshua to follow the Ark of the Covenant (a symbol of Jesus Christ). He said, “If you follow that Ark, where my presence dwells, you will go the right way.” Second, God said to go across. Do you know how you cross a river where God splits the water? It is with one step at a time.

There are many things that seem impossible. There are many things in life that seem too hard to bear. Yet in these times, God’s expectations are for us to go one step at a time. Don’t fret about crossing a river, God will make it possible. You just keep moving forward. Don’t worry about the time it takes. Just go one step at a time and you will get to the other side. 


While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • What are you taking one step at a time right now? 
  • How is God leading you through it? 
  • When in your life has God led you through a difficult time and gotten you to the other shore

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 

Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Pastor Stephen Williams

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“What Can I Do to Make a Difference?”

Judges 3:31


“After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.”


So far this week we’ve looked at several of the judges that God used to deliver His people before the time of Israel’s kings. The book of Judges displays God’s power, mercy and grace through the filter of the most unlikely of heroes. We are reminded of God’s ability to hit bullseyes with bent arrows as He used the weak (Gideon), the arrogant (Sampson), and the sneaky (Ehud) to accomplish His purposes. 

And we see the repetitive cycle of the Israelites and recognize it in ourselves. You can trace the history during this time through the spiral of straying, compromising, suffering the consequences of sin, oppression, outcry, rescue and repentence. It is a part of our fallen condition that most of our learning is actually re-learning – over and over and over. But to our undeserved benefit, we serve a merciful God that not only rescues us but allows us to be a part of His plan! 

One of the more obscure judges receives only one verse. What would have surely made anyone’s highlight reel was mentioned only in passing in relation to the page space of other judges. We don’t really know anything else about Shamgar, but I think Pat Williams and Jay Strack gave him a fair shake (and certainly more ink) in their book, “The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar.”

They suggest three principles that we can all draw from to make a difference for God’s Kingdom: 
  • Start where you are
  • Use what you have
  • Do what you can
Three basic concepts that can each be seen as limitations, but in the hands of a mighty and merciful God can be more than enough. 

Take some time to meditate on each of these 3 principles as they relate to your life. Don’t allow them to sit as excuses. Instead, place each at Jesus’ feet and see what He will do with them. 

Jon Price, Associate Pastor

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