The Book of Ruth ~ Devotion Eighteen

"Gifts On Your Back"


Ruth 3:14-18 (NLT) So Ruth lay at Boaz’s feet until the morning, but she got up before it was light enough for people to recognize each other. For Boaz had said, “No one must know that a woman was here at the threshing floor.”  Then Boaz said to her, “Bring your cloak and spread it out.” He measured six scoops of barley into the cloak and placed it on her back. Then he returned to the town.
     When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “What happened, my daughter?”
     Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her, and she added, “He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
     Then Naomi said to her, “Just be patient, my daughter, until we hear what happens. The man won’t rest until he has settled things today.”


Ruth risked everything to give her life over to Boaz. She wasn't sure what would happen.
When she lay down she gave up her old life in hope of getting up with a new life. 


When we lay down at the feet of our Master, there comes a time when He requires us to get up and live. Our hearts and minds remain at His feet but He wants us to get up and live our lives as He expects of us. 


Galatians 2:20-21 (NLT) My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.


What is required of us when we give up our old lives for our new life in Christ? How do we live? How do we trust? What are our new lives supposed to look like?


If you look closely in today's verses you will see that Boaz gave Ruth instructions as to what she was supposed to do next. Not only that, he provided her with grain. This grain was a gift and was meant to show His good faith towards her. The Lord Himself does the same for us. He gives us gifts that help us survive this earthly life and to bless others we encounter. 


Look at what Ruth did. She went home with her back happily laden with the gift of grain. When she got home she shared her gift with Naomi. It provided both of them with sustenance. Our lives and the requirement of godly living is much like what Ruth did for Naomi in response to Boaz' gift.


Romans 12:6-8 (NLT) In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.


We, who love God, are all given gifts. Each gift is different and is meant to be used. What does your gift look like? Do you even know what it is? Are you willing to use it to your benefit and to the benefit of others? Do you think that you don't have a gift or maybe just an insignificant one? God's gift to us are never anything less that what is perfect for our lives. And God requires that we use them. Jesus said so in His words to His disciples.


Matthew 25:14-30 (MSG) "It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master's money.
     "After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
     "The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master's investment. His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
     "The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'
     "The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
     "'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.'


When we are given gifts and entrusted with them, Jesus expects that we will invest them wisely. It angers Him when we don't use them. We don't ever like to think that Jesus gets angry but He does. This doesn't stop His love for us. We should be motivated to use our gifts from Him wisely. I don't want to disappoint Him.


'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? Jesus requires our best and sometimes we give the least of what we can do. It's a shame to think that we don't even use the gifts He has given us. 


"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.' What we have been given will be given away if we refuse to use it. The darkness we are thrown into is the depression we feel when we give up our gifts. Our salvation isn't gone but life with meaning and excitement is. We'll get bored. We won't want to get up and move. Life will lose its color. 


What life are you leading now? Is it a life lived safe or extravagantly? Jesus, our Master, has placed gifts on our backs like Boaz did for Ruth. Are we even going to acknowledge that the gifts are there? Don't throw His investment in your life away. Live your life as He always meant for you to live it. His gifts to you are not insignificant. They are amazing. Get up and live your life as He designed it to be ~ exciting, full and giving.