Day 16: Family: It Is Tricky (Ruth 2:20b – 23)

For some people, when they think about family, it brings a smile to their face. For others, they don’t want to think about them. Still, I am guessing for many of us, it is a mixture of good times and bad.

Family, regardless of our experiences, tugs on our heart. God created the family, and whether we like it or not, we cannot escape the pull it has on us.

In today’s bit of Scripture, Naomi reveals to Ruth that Boaz is part of the family. Boaz is one of their Kinsman-Redeemers.

We can break that into two pieces. The first- kinsman, simply means they are part of the same family. The second- redeemer, has to do with a Jewish law that if a man dies his brother is to marry the widow so that the dead man’s name will continue. Besides this reference in Ruth, Genesis 38 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10 discuss it. It is also a known practice in other cultures.

Rather than chase that rabbit trail of marrying your widowed sister-in-law, let’s simply understand that Naomi knows that in her culture she may have a family member who will redeem her from her plight.

Maybe you’ve had that experience. Maybe you’ve had a family member come to your aid, even your rescue. Maybe you’ve been the rescuer. Maybe you’ve waited and they have not come (or you did not go).

Family affairs are tricky. They are fraught with history. Hurt feelings and more compound over the years, often times erecting barriers. Sometimes those barriers need to be smashed. Sometimes they need to stay for our own protection.

Yet, part of this story is the thread of God working through humans; a story of God’s Providence. Let me say that differently. It is a story of humans, conforming themselves to the character of God, all by His grace, as He works His will throughout the world.

Isn’t that really what we are to do? Are we not supposed to conform ourselves to the likeness of God- not that we will be glorified, but rather that we might be His agents?

His agents: another name, a better name, would be His children. His sons and daughters. His family who are each other’s kinsman.

Which leads to Jesus. He is the Son. He is the Redeemer. He is, in a very real way, our Kinsman-Redeemer. And God, through his human agents, through family, places our Kinsman-Redeemer in the Bible’s key story about Kinsman-Redeemers.

Consider when the Hebrews decided which sacred texts would make up their “bible”, the Tanakh, they included the Book of Ruth. A short love story which shows God’s Providence.

The Book of Ruth held its place in the Tanakh for centuries before the birth of Jesus.

Then Jesus arrives, and in the Gospel of Matthew, in the lineage of Jesus, we find Boaz, and Boaz’ son Obed. In other words, Boaz and Ruth are the great-grandparents of King David, from whose line our Kinsman-Redeemer, Jesus, is born.

Family is tricky. Family is hard. Yet, today I am reminded that God is serious about redemption. He is serious about you and I being adopted as sons and daughters through Jesus. God is serious about Him being your Father.

Do you feel a part of God’s family? Not just in an intellectual way, but in a way that you can go to your Father when you need Him?