Ruth: Knock on Opportunity’s Door!
Ruth 3:1-11
1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?
2 “Now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids you were? Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight.
3 “Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
4 “It shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do.”
5 She said to her, “All that you say I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.
7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down.
8 It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.
9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative.”
10 Then he said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich.
11 “Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.
A man at Lowes caught up with a friend in line while paying for some paint. His friend said, What’s going on? The man with the paint, “Well my wife got so angry at me for not painting the shed that she went and did it herself. The least I could do was buy the last gallon.” His friend responded, I wish my wife got mad like that.
Prepare for anticipated opportunities in life.
Do what is necessary for your future. School, Work, Health
Be Perceptive when God presents opportunities
Adjust when Opportunity comes your way.
Naomi knew God’s Word. God has promised to honor His Word. The initial Kinsman Redeemer did not seem to move in the right direction. Naomi and Ruth did not demand their right with him. Perhaps their character motivated them. Or perhaps Naomi would rather be poor than to sell her daughter in law into a loveless marriage.
One of the chemists experimenting
Present yourself in the best light. (v. 3)
Lady with Febreze and skunk, The Power of Habit.
Ruth made herself pleasant in appearance.
Ruth did not Push her agenda. (She did not seek to embarrass him).
Four times in this chapter there is mention of feet (3:4, 7–8, 14). Ruth had fallen at the feet of Boaz in response to his gracious words (2:10), but now she was coming to his feet to propose marriage. She was asking him to obey the law of the kinsman redeemer and take her as his wife.
We may ask, “Why didn’t Ruth wait for Boaz to propose to her?” His statement in 3:10 suggests the first reason: He fully expected that she would marry one of the younger bachelors in Bethlehem. Boaz was an older man, and Ruth was a young woman (4:12). Evidently he concluded that he was out of the running. But the most important reason is given in verse 12: There was a nearer kinsman in town who had first option on Ruth and the property, and Boaz was waiting for him to act. Ruth had forced the issue, and now Boaz could approach this kinsman and get him to decide.
“Life is full of rude awakenings!” a famous cartoon canine likes to say, and more than one biblical character would agree. Adam went to sleep and woke up to discover he’d been through surgery and was now a married man. Jacob woke up to discover he was married to the wrong woman! Boaz woke up at midnight to find a woman lying at his feet.
Ruth made her intentions clear. (Spread your covering over me. “Take me under your wings.”)
Allow events to move at the Proper Time.
What opportunities do you need to pray for?
What opportunities to you need to Prepare for?
What opportunities do you need to respond to?
How may God use you to provide an opportunity for someone?
