Show Kindness

 Ruth 2:20

 …Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead…

Showing kindness is one of God’s many attributes of who He is. As children of God, it is only natural that we do the same. Boaz saw a widow and daughter in need of extra help, and made sure that they were taken care of. In his case, such kindness led to a close relationship with Ruth the Moabite. There are many applications that can be derived from this story, but it is evident that kindness is a sure take away. Moabites were enemies of the Israelites. Jesus teaches us to love your enemies. One of the core values of being a Christian is to love others, not just those who befriend you, but even those who despise you for what you believe. It was through this kindness shown by Boaz that Christ was born. God chose kindness to bring salvation. We live in a needing world, and many people are in need of love and respect. May you and I be the agent of kindness that brings more love in the world we live in.

Kinsmen Redeemer

Ruth 3:8-18
March 16th, 2008

Under the direction of Naomi, Ruth is told to sleep at the feet of Boaz. The culture of the people, in that day, made allowances for such overt behavior. Such forward actions of a woman, was for the sole purpose of provide refuge to a woman who found herself without protection. Boaz was a kinsman of Ruth and was willing to fulfill the requirements of the Kinsman and redeem Ruth to be part of the family. Like Boaz, Christ is our kinsman redeemer who came to earth and gave his life that we could be redeemed and be part of God’s family.

Startled Experience- “the man was afraid”
• Awaken by movement
• Surprise to see a women at his feet
Spreading of the Skirt- “spread therefore thy skirt”
• The custom of proposal
• Protect me with your “wings”
Showing of Character- “for thou has shown kindness”
• Her life was above reproach
• Her desire was to perpetuate the family name
Selecting the Kinsman- “howbeit there is a kinsman”
• Boaz desire to follow the law
• The kinsman’s Responsibility
• Christ- Our kinsman
Secrecy Required- “let it not be known”
• There are some things that need not be spoken
Safeguarding Reputation- “bring the veil…”
• Keeping a good name
• Avoid doing things that others would misinterpret
Social Acceptance- “go not empty”
• Conforming to social behaviors
• God’s word is always 1st coarse
Sitting Still- “sit still…”
• Waiting is a practice trait
• We must let God work out His plan