Day 22: Keeping the Law—Let’s Party! (Ruth 4:11-12)
Today’s Passage: Ruth 4:11-12
You probably don’t think of celebrating when you “don’t steal” or when you “honor your father and mother”.
We tend to think that keeping God’s Law is best done with our eyes downcast as we sullenly go about our daily lives.
Okay, we probably don’t actually think that, but it sure looks that way to outsiders. I’ve heard people say, “Being a Christian looks like a downer.”
In Ruth 4:11-12 we read of a celebration. The people’s response to Boaz’s declaration that Ruth will be his wife is joy. They offer a prayer of great hope for Boaz. Remarkable really—Ruth is not even there!
Their exclamation shows the depth of their joy and their hope—in three ways. They first pray for Ruth, that she would be like Rachael and Leah; two of the great matriarchs of their history. Consider for a moment, they pray to make this Moabite woman equal to Jewish heroines. I pray you can see the warmth and love for Ruth, who in the past was a foreigner and is now a member of the family of God.
Next, consider their prayer for Boaz. They pray that he will act worthily and be renowned in all of Bethlehem. Interesting, this marriage, this levirate-marriage, is so that the dead man’s name will be remembered. Yet the people, moved by the love born out of Boaz’s obedience to the Law, pray that his name will be renowned.
Finally, there is another stunning bit. The people pray that the couple will have offspring like their ancestor of old—Perez—who was the son born from a levirate-marriage (Genesis 38). A son, from whom they all trace their history.
God’s people process this act of love and obedience, not as an isolated and individualistic event. No, they process it as part of the familial community that is the people of God—in witness and celebration!
It makes me wonder about myself from two dimensions.
First, I don’t necessarily celebrate obedience. Second, the idea of the church as a familial community really does not play out in the way I am practicing community with people, the people I so easily call brother and sister.
The forces today in Western culture, drive us towards individualism. Yet, when we seek to fulfill the Law apart from community, individualistically, we become legalistic. We may all be “in-church” together, yet wildly isolated. When we hear of other’s achievements, do we look in the mirror and feel less (or do we with various techniques dismiss them)? When we hear exhortations to keep the Law, do we look in the mirror and feel less (or do we in various ways dismiss the Law)?
The forces today driving us to isolation, either lead to us somehow feeling less of ourselves, or dismissing others, even God. The end result is a further retreat into isolation.
Yet, I wonder if we can celebrate obedience. There are glimpses of such celebrations. At wedding receptions, the longest married couple is often identified and applauded. We also celebrate children when they behave.
Of course, all of this is from God. His grace is what allows us the ability for any good. Our celebration is first one of praise to God. Let’s not stop there, let’s celebrate obedience!