Tarry this night and it shall be in the morning that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth. Ruth 3:13
Think back to the best friends you had when you were in school – or if you are in school, think back to the list of best friends you had when you started school. Review that list in your mind and see how many of them are still on that list today. Where have they gone? Some have simply gone off in a different direction, others move in circles where you are not comfortable, and there are one or two who proved to be less worthy of your friendship. Some of them broke promises and you don’t want to see them anymore. Our text today is a quote from Boaz to Ruth, revealing that he was a man who would never break a promise or fail to fulfill a commitment. He is a picture to us of the faithfulness of our Lord, and an example for us to follow.
Boaz was obedient to the law that gave someone else priority over his own desire to help Ruth. He would not usurp a position that was not his to claim, even though it was apparent that he was already in love with Ruth. Obedience is crucial for a Christian. We can never go outside the bounds of the Word of God and expect God to bless us. Sometimes we are tempted to deviate from the clear teaching of Scripture because we discover a method or an idea that we think will perform better. But, like Boaz, we need to submit to what God says, and obey. In the long run, Boaz did not lose out, and neither did Ruth. God’s purposes were accomplished and great blessing resulted. If we follow Boaz’s example, we will not lose out either if we act in simple, faithful obedience to God’s Word.
Boaz also had a deep sense of responsibility. He knew what God expected of him, and he knew how he should respond to the needs of those who God brought into his experience. You and I also have responsibilities, not only to God, but also to our fellow saints, and even to the world around us. Like Boaz, we know what the right thing to do is when folks around us need help. But do we always do it? When somebody needs a few dollars when an emergency occurs, do we open our wallets? When somebody needs an encouraging word or a sympathetic shoulder, do we volunteer? When people around us need a word of encouragement, are we there for them?
What a prince of a man Boaz was! But he was just being obedient, faithful, and responsible. We can do that! -Jim MacIntosh