DEVOTIONAL
What’s in It for Me? “At this, the guardian-redeemer said, ‘Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
H
Ruth 4:6
ave you ever lost an opportunity because you were trying your best to protect yourself? I don't know about you, but I have missed many chances for the sake of self-preservation. I regret some of these instances, and others I thank God He stepped in to save me from disaster. To grow as Christ’s disciples, we need to distinguish when and how we succumb to self-preservation. The story of Ruth makes it clear that Boaz was not the first kinsman-redeemer. He did the right thing to defer this opportunity to redeem Elimelech’s estate to the rightful man. However, the unnamed “guardian-redeemer” had an excuse for why he could not fulfill his role. The Targum version gives a more palatable insight on this problematic scenario: “And the kinsman said, ‘on this ground I cannot redeem it, because I
have a wife already; and I have bothered by the fact that his no desire to take another, lest firstborn with Ruth would there should be contention in belong to Elimelek's lineage or my house, and I should become the descendants would share his a corrupter of my inheritance. inheritance. This is an excellent Do thou redeem it, for thou hast example of what Paul describes no wife; for I cannot redeem it.’” as Jesus’ calling for each of us: The unnamed man’s response “You, my brothers and sisters, seems reasonable: he wanted were called to be free. But do not to maintain the safety of his use your freedom to indulge the family. Unfortunately, this flesh; rather, serve one another stance was contrary to the law humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13). of Moses. “If brothers are living John Maxwell, author of together and one of them dies The 21 Irrefutable Laws of without a son, his widow must Leadership, writes, “The life of not marry outside the family. a leader can look glamorous Her husband’s brother shall take to people on the outside. But her and marry her and fulfill the reality is that leadership the duty of a brother-in-law to requires sacrifice.” When stress her” (Deuteronomy 25:5). escalates, we often revert to This man’s eagerness to purself-preservation; however, chase the land in Ruth 4:4 was in Christ’s restoring power calls us stark contrast to his immediate to live above our instincts and disinterest when he realized the feelings. As we strive against risk to his estate. Boaz, however, our natural inclinations, the is shown to have both respected benefits and blessings reach far and loved Ruth. He was not past us into the lives of many.
Tsholo Sebetlela
Pastor/Chaplain — Maskwacis
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Alberta Adventist News
MARCH 2021
