“God’s (Odd) Ways?” - Ruth 3: 1-18

 Does God cause our suffering? This is a question fraught throughout the ages, with different people of faith taking different stances. I believe that God does not cause our suffering, but that God, through his graciousness, can redeem it in ways beyond our wildest imaginations. 

Case in point - Ruth. 

Ruth, a childless, widow. Some may try to argue that God killed the three men who were pillars in Ruth and Naomi’s family - but this is not what the text states. But it does tell us that after their death, these women are find themselves having to make a choice - or rather a series of choices. For Namoi, the choice is where to go now. The most logical conclusion is back to the homeland of her people, in hopes that someone will provide for her. The way could be dangerous and it was unheard of for a woman to make this journey alone, but this was her choice. 

For Ruth, her choice was to go with Naomi. A choice for her that is crystal clear, even if Namoi herself tries to talk Ruth out of it. 

Then they arrive in Bethlehem and more choices need to be made. How to provide for themselves? Through gleaning. Where to glean? Boaz’s field. 

After an unknown period of time, Namoi presents Ruth with another choice - the choice to end her time of grieving for her fallen husband. The text we find in Ruth 3 is difficult. It’s the one that is often skipped over in the lectionary and not really discussed in the children’s picture books. Because Namoi is not subtle in her suggestion that Ruth should become intimate with Boaz. 

But, we can also get so caught up in this confusing exchange that we miss the beauty of this particular passage. Naomi, by telling Ruth to wash, put on perfume, and wear her best clothes, is not just saying that she should prepare herself to go to Boaz. She is also gently suggesting that it is time for Ruth to end her active stage of mourning. That it is time for her to prepare herself to become a bride again. 

Ruth then had a choice to make - is it time? Is it time to enter into a new season of her life? 

She ultimately decided that yes, it was. She made the decision to trust. Trust in Naomi’s wisdom and trust in whatever comes next. 

Perhaps that is part of what makes Ruth and Naomi such a notable pair. The wisdom of the older woman meets the courage of the younger woman. 

When Ruth has the opportunity to speak to Boaz, she identifies him as her go’el - kinsman redeemer. The one who had the opportunity to best care for Ruth and Namoi, by entering into the covenant of marriage. This can be so hard for us to wrap our minds around today, because this isn’t usually how things work. But bak in a day and time, when women had no property, no money, and no rights, they needed a go’el - this kinsman redeemer to intervene on their behalf. 

Which left Boaz with a choice. But before he expresses his decision to Ruth, I want you to take notice of what Boaz identifies as standing out about Ruth. Her kindness. Her hesed - kindness and loyalty. He is essentially saying that she had the right to look right past the concept of a kinsman redeemer. To look for someone younger. To look to another family that would accept her. But she is kind to him. Kind and loyal to Naomi. Kind and loyal to Naomi’s family. 

Boaz recognized this trait in her, because he, too, is loyal. While he desires to be the kinsman redeemer for Ruth and also provide for Namoi, he know that by their is someone else that has that title and right before him. He wants to perform this duty, but he also wants to do it right so there aren’t any questions later. This is his act of faithfulness and devotion. 

When we examine this piece of scripture that is so foreign in our world today, it can be difficult for us to understand. But that does not mean that God does not have Good News within it for us. Because when I look at this piece of scripture, friends, I cannot help but to see God’s graciousness and redemption.

God, who will not be boxed in, by the way that we think that things should work. Ruth proclaims that from the hill tops - since God is at work through a childless foreigner to be part of the line and lineage of both David and Jesus. God is at work in unlikely ways through unlikely people. 

But we don’t always recognize that. 

Let me tell you just a few of the ways that I have been blessed to hear about God working in unlikely ways over the last few weeks. I heard the story of how a young woman saw God redeem an illness she faced to confirm her call to ministry. I sat with a family whose loved one was passing, and while it was such a difficult day, they were thankful that God gave them that sacred space to be with one another. I have heard about how God has given us an opportunity through the backpack program to reach out to people who live right here in our neighborhood in new ways. 

Now do I think that God caused the illness, death, and food insecurity in those examples? No. But God surely transformed it for the good. It reminds me of the words of Joseph at the end of Genesis after facing his own family turning on him as he said you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

So what are we to take away from this portion of Ruth. I think there are several things. First, it calls us to examine our own hearts and stories to see where God is working for good. Ruth shows us that it may not look like good at the first glance. And we may not understand it as being for good until quite a ways down the road. But have there been times and situations in your life where it looked really bleak for a while, but you know, you know that God was working for good?

Ruth reminds us that there is no corner of of our lives where God is not at work, even if we do not always perceive or understand at first. 

But, Ruth 3 also asks us what leads our decision making process? Who do we let speak into our lives and why? What goes into making hard choices - because we are all surely going to have to make choices at some point in time. And how do our choices reflect our faithfulness towards God? 

Friends, Ruth is not meant to be a caricature, but instead shows us a Biblical person, like all Biblical persons, who is complicated and is seeking meaning for her life. And it shows us how God is working to provide that in ways beyond her wildest imagination. What about us? How is God bringing goodness in our lives and sharing goodness with others in unexpected ways? Amen.