Sacrificial Action - Ruth's Story

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A few weekends ago my church began a new series called Heroes.  A hero was defined as possessing the following characteristics:

• A hero takes action when others don't
• A hero's actions are focused on the good of others
• Heroes do something to serve others
• Real heroes do something sacrificial to serve others
• Heroes do the small things right
• Real heroes respond with courage and faith when God calls

I think it's pretty safe to say that Ruth the Moabitess totally falls into the Hero category.

When we think of loss and mourning in the book of Ruth, we usually think about Naomi - and she definitely had her share of loss.  But I think Ruth gets overlooked.  Ruth also lost the people most precious to her.

In order to serve and protect her mother in-law, Ruth leaves behind all that is precious and sacred to her.  By walking away from Moab, Ruth leaves her family, her gods, her people, and her traditions...FOR-E-VER!!!

That to me seems like a sacrificial act in and of itself, but keep in mind too that there is probably nothing in this deal for Ruth.  Naomi will not be able to provide another son for Ruth to marry.  So at a young age, Ruth is accepting that she will live as a widow (one of the least of these) for the rest of her life. (I have more thoughts on Ruth's sacrifice here.)

If Ruth's story ended there, she probably wouldn't have her own book in the Bible and we probably wouldn't know her name.  Jesus might have told her story as a parable, illustrating the sacrificial love of foreigners, similar to the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

But what seemed like the end of Ruth's story was really only the beginning.  Ruth responded to this situation with contentment and courage, relying on her faith in a God she only knew a little bit about.  But she stepped out - literally - from everything familiar and comfortable - and stepped right into God's hand, allowing Him to write the rest of her story.

And by taking those small steps of faith, Ruth and Naomi - the two widows - are redeemed by Boaz, their Kinsman Redeemer - the son of Rahab the Prostitute (I can only imagine what the talk around the water well was like...).

Side note: Are you starting to see God's hand at work, weaving His story through these stories?  It's amazing!

Boaz and Ruth the Moabitess ended up getting married after he chooses to step out in faith and sacrificially acted on Naomi and Ruth's behalf.  They have a son and name him Obed.  Obed had a son named Jesse.  And Jesse was the father of King David.

I'm guessing when the men prayed at the city gates that day that Boaz's name would be "famous in Bethlehem" (Ruth 4:11), they had no idea just how famous Boaz and Ruth would become!  Not only was the famous King of Israel from Bethlehem, but the Savior of the world - Jesus Christ - was born in Bethlehem - through the line of David.

We cannot even begin to understand what God is doing.  The big and small events in our lives are part of our story, but ultimately they will all come together as a part of God's story!

Ruth was a hero because she stepped out in courage and faith, taking sacrificial action to serve someone else, when no one else would.

So ask yourself - Are you a hero?  Remember, doing the small things right might be the sacrificial actions needed to serve someone else.


**Notes about Heroes are from Steve Finkill's message about Heroes.  I also referenced more of his message in Naomi's Story.  Click here to watch his message about Ruth and Boaz.**


You can read more about Ruth's story at She Reads Truth.  Also read Ruth 1:6 - 4:22.