Ruth 1:16-17 16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me."

 

People in the story.  First, we have Naomi and Elimelech and their two sons. They own property around Bethlehem and probably have a pretty comfortable life, but famine strikes the land. Their fields are no longer producing, and they are hungry. Desperate, they flee as refugees to a foreign land, they escape to Moab. Moab and Ammon were born to Lot and Lot's elder and younger daughters, and Things don't get better. Elimelech dies; Naomi's sons marry two women in their new county, but then her sons also die. 
 
In the time that Naomi lived, women depended on their male relatives to survive. So, not only is Naomi a widow and childless, she is economically destitute. Grief abounds, and grief is stalking Naomi. She learns that the famine is over in her home country, so she and one of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, Ophrah, and the other daughter-in-law, go home.  The two travel to Bethlehem, more hopeless and more desperate than when Naomi initially fled her home.  When she got home, she changed her name to Mara, which means bitter.

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If you are a farmer, I am sure that you want to make sure that as much of your crop as possible is collected in the harvest to make you as much money as possible. This is simple economics. Just because this makes sense, though, we find that biblical law followed at the time actually prohibited this. In Leviticus 19 and 23, there are laws that forbid Israelite landowners from taking all of their crops in the harvest. Those working in the fields were supposed to leave grains standing on the edges of their fields, and if any grain fell to the ground in the regular harvesting, it was supposed to be left as well. The idea here is that the poor and the immigrants will be able to gather some of this grain left to survive.
 
Ruth is not afraid of work; she walks behind the harvesters trying to gather up enough grain for herself and Naomi. This is an act of love and devotion. Ruth owes nothing to Naomi. Ruth could have stayed in her homeland. Ruth could have married again and had a family. Instead, Ruth shows love and devotion to Naomi in unexpected ways. In a real way, Ruth is showing the love of God to Naomi. Naomi, who is full of grief and suffering from depression, stays behind, and Ruth goes out, in love, to find food for them.  When leading others to Jesus, you make sacrifices for them even if they don't apricate it.
 
Then we also learn that Ruth just so happens to be gleaning from a field that belongs to Naomi's relative, Boaz

 
Boaz comes out to check on the harvest, and he sees a new young woman working in the field. This is a small community, and he likely knows or, at least, knows of most of the people in the town. But this woman, working in the field, is new. Even though laws are supposed to protect Ruth, people are people, and Ruth is probably at risk. If the landowner didn't like her or want her gathering, he could run her off or harmed her. Next, Boaz inquires about this young woman working in his field.   
 
10 Then she bowed down, face to the ground, and replied to him, "How is it that I've found favor in your eyes, that you notice me? I'm an immigrant."
 
Boaz shows her generosity and kindness, and she asks him, why are you showing me this kindness? Boaz opens the field to her and gives her even more than what she is asking, and Ruth wants to know why. 
 

When Ruth asks Boaz why he is so generous with her, his response is powerful. He says I've heard your story and how you expressed loving kindness and devotion to Naomi even though you didn't have to. The way that Boaz describes Ruth's actions is remarkable in that he uses words and phrases that people usually use to describe God's love. Time and time again, in the Bible, we hear about people neglecting their duties or being unfaithful to God, and time and time again, we hear of how God remains faithful in this. 
 

People are brought to Jesus because of your story.
The love of God, through other people, to sustain you and to give you hope. 
 
How different the story would be if Ruth had constantly and consistently reminded Naomi of all she had done for her.  When we are continually reminding someone how much we are doing for them, are not things done out of love but a duty.

 

Namoi has Ruth lay at Boaz's feet after he falls asleep.

 

Boaz redemption:: the act of making something better or more acceptable. : the act of exchanging something for money, an award, etc. Christianity: the act of saving people from sin and evil: the fact of being saved from sin or evil.

 

Tell the story of Boaz's encounter with other relatives. Making things legal.

Like the first relative, others may not see your value. The first relative carefully considered the proposition and realized Ruth and Naomi were just too weighty. Too needy. He realized that it would ruin his inheritance. Others may do the same with you. They may see you as an encumbrance rather than an asset. Oh sure, at first, you appear to be advantageous, but they retreat once they learn of your humanity. In their eyes, you're a liability. Suddenly you aren't so useful to them anymore.

 

As you lead someone to Jesus, remind them that they are worth redeeming no matter what their past is like.

 

Perhaps you have too many setbacks, and they have enough of their own. Or they're not prepared to deal with all your stuff. Either way, from their perspective, you're a commodity, and the price is too high.

 

He notices you. He saw past my messy problems and weights. He does the same with you.  He sees past your issues, the problems you bring to the table. His piercing gaze sees your true value, the assets of your inner being. Like Boaz, Jesus sees you differently. Boaz looked past Ruth and Naomi's potentially problematic situation and saw Ruth's resilience and humility. He sees the value and desires them for himself. Jesus does the same. His penetrating eyes see past your surface issues to your heart and mind. The exterior is irrelevant to Him; He wants to know if you are receptive. He's searching for an extended spiritual antenna. Your baggage is beside the point. Do you have a criminal record? No problem, Jesus says. Are you a dog-tired mom with too many clamoring hands to satisfy? Jesus wants you on His team. Do you have way too many failures on your record ever to offer anybody anything ever again? Jesus is calling you.  Are you sitting at home feeling alone, like no one is there for you?  Jesus is there for you too. He sees you and loves you.

 

Once Boaz redeemed Ruth and Naomi, their encumbrances didn't disappear. Without him, they were still poor widows. They still needed help. However, Boaz absorbed those problems, and thus, they became non-issues. You see, most people mistakenly believe once they're saved, their baggage disappears. Not so.  Boaz absorbs the burdens. Not only does Jesus notices us, but He absorbs our burdens.

 

Jesus absorbs your problems. Jesus, our redeemer, loves us so much that He takes our sins on His back.

 

Jesus, our redeemer, has redeemed others: The greatest love story that we can ever hear or even embrace is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The good news of Jesus coming to provide forgiveness of sin to all who believe. Jesus redeemed us by the blood of His cross. The story in the book of Ruth is this story. Boaz redeemed Ruth. Just like He noticed her, Jesus will notice us. Just as He absorbed her burdens, Jesus will absorb our burdens. Finally, we see from this story that Just as Jesus has the power to redeem us, He can redeem others.

 

When Boaz redeemed Ruth, he also redeemed Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi. Through Ruth, Naomi is cared for, valued, and included. She has a place at the table in the Household of Boaz. She is the esteemed grandmother of Boaz and Ruth's son, Obed. She has been plucked from impoverishment to luxury. Without Ruth, Naomi probably would have wasted away. She would have returned to Bethlehem alone and without the means to change her situation. She would have remained in hardship until the end. Through Ruth, however, that all changed.

 

Many have said to me they don't believe they have influenced one person for Christ. They fear once they reach Heaven, they will bring no one with them. I believe otherwise. I believe each and every person, whether they've been homebound or completely introverted, will be used by  God to show his love to at least one more person. We underestimate our power and persuasion. God knows how effective our words and actions can be. It's one reason, I believe, Jesus left us here after our salvation. You were chosen to be a mouthpiece, an ambassador, a channel for God's devotion to His creation. Never doubt that.

 

You are Jesus' Ruth. Once you become a believer, Jesus reaches through you to your surrounding friends and family. He puts in your mouth the words He desires for them. He communicates His unrelenting love for your peers through you. He uses your ministry to speak His adoration to their hearts. He orchestrates your words and actions to capture their spirits to His.

 

Without love, there is no redemption. The story of Ruth teaches us many things, especially the value of trusting God in our circumstances. But her story also pictures God's redemptive love for us in Jesus Christ. Jesus is our redeemer who:  Notices us-Absorbs our burdens- Even today, he continues to redeem others through us.