Today I read Ruth 4:1-6. It's getting to the good stuff here. Ruth has presented her offer to Boaz (a proposal of sorts, really!) on the scandalous threshing floor, he expresses his desire to "redeem" her, but they have to consult the nearer redeemer first because he has first"dibs" on Ruth and her late husband's family's land. Sounds crazy and a little hard to follow, but it so sounds like something that would make the soaps, don't you think?
Boaz, being a little crafty, asked the nearer kinsman redeemer (whose name isn't even given!! hm, what a coincidence), this title coming from the word "goel", if he would redeem Noami's late husband, Elimilech's, land. The goel accepted quickly, seeing that this would add nicely to his family's estate, presumably. Then Boaz snuck in the fact that if he redeemed the land, he would have to marry Ruth. What I think is so neat about this is that because neither redeemer was Elimilech's immediate brother, marriage was not mandatory! When the other redeemer heard that last part about marrying Ruth, he backed out of the deal. There are several reasons why he probably declined redemption, one being that if he married Ruth and they had a child, that child would inherit the redeemed land- the land that the redeemer had been tending, maintaining and watching over. So in the end, it wouldn't profit the goel after all.
So here's where it hit home for me. The nearer redeemer, whose name is not mentioned, does the Expected thing- he declines because it won't profit him any. This doesn't necessarily make him a bad person. He was watching out for the welfare of his own family and his own inheritance. This would be the normal thing. No one would have judged him.
Just like Orpah in the beginning (Noami's other daughter in law). Orpah was going with Noami, but N said she could turn back and go on home to her family. With Noami's advice, that's just what she did. Orpah wasn't doing a horrible thing. She was doing the expected thing.
On the other hand, Ruth and Boaz did extraordinary things. They went above and beyond. I'd be willing to bet others watching might have even said "Jeez, he is doing waaaay too much" or "Why does she always have to be so nice- people are going to run over her". Ruth sticking with Noami, working so hard to provide, going and presenting herself to Boaz. Boaz, going out of his way to be kind to a Moabite woman, telling his men to not only leave her alone, but to leave behind EXTRA grain. Boaz was not only willing to redeem Ruth, but marry her as well.
Ruth and Boaz did the extraordinary. Orpah and the goel did the expected. R and B chose sacrifice and love. O and G chose safety. R and B left a legacy. O and G were never heard from again.....
I guess I'm learning that just because something is normal and logical by human standards, doesn't mean that's necessarily what God wants me to do. Reasonable is not what usually goes down in history. I choose safety often times and feel like if I've "covered all my bases", then I'm good to go. But that is definitely not what Ruth and Boaz did. They exceeded the quota.
I shouldn't be so harsh when I see others doing things that appear to be foolishly nice. Those people are talked about as though they are the doormats of the world. But really and truly, the day will come when I stand before my sweet Savior. And I will have to give an account for the things I did and did not do here on this earth. I want him to be pleased. Not by my expected behavior, but by my extraordinary living.
***This Bible study was from Kelly Minter's book "The Living Room Series" Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy. Excellent study if you are interested in diving in deeper!
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