The word “heart” is used in the Scripture as the most comprehensive term for the authentic person. It is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. It has been described as "the place of conscious and decisive spiritual activity," "the comprehensive term for a person as a whole; his feelings, desires, passions, thought, understanding and will," and "the center of a person…the place to which God turns." (Source: J. Stowell, Fan The Flame, Moody, 1986, p. 13. )
Did you know that Hummingbirds have race car hearts that eat oxygen at an eye-popping rate? Their hearts are built of thinner, leaner fibers than ours. Their arteries are stiffer and more taut. Their hearts are stripped to the skin for the war against gravity and inertia, the mad search for food, the insane idea of flight.
They are tiny little birds and their hearts beat 10 times a second. So even if you put your huge ear to its chest, it would be hard to discern the heartbeat.
The price of their ambition is a life closer to death; they suffer more heart attacks and aneurysms and ruptures than any other living creature. It’s expensive to fly. You burn out. You fry the machine. You melt the engine. (Source: An article by Bryan Doyle)
The largest heart in the world is inside the blue whale. It is about the size of a small car. It is a room, with four chambers. A child could walk around it, head high, bending only to step through the valves. This house of a heart drives a creature a hundred feet long. (Source: Whale Facts)
It is estimated that EVERY CREATURE on earth has approximately two billion heartbeats to spend in a lifetime. You can spend them slowly, like a tortoise and live to be two hundred years old, or you can spend them fast, like a hummingbird, and live to be two years old. (Source: An article by Jason Kottke)
In what condition is your heart? Is it beating to the rhythm of songs of praise to God…in holy worship to the Savior of the world? Or is your pulse set to the city, the job, the constant striving for possessions and property, the ways of the world, or the wicked pulse of hell?
The believer must make the condition of the heart primary – because the outward appearance will always follow the condition of the heart!
Rehearsing History (2:11)
Boaz meets her about 10 in the morning – and sees for himself who this “damsel” is! Rehearsing Ruth’s story is his way of giving her a compliment. Boaz is impressed with Ruth. She sticks out from the crowd, but his impressions go beyond her appearance. He speaks of her character!
Character will go beyond appearance. Character is brighter than appearance. Character lasts longer than appearance. Character truly reveals who you are…appearance promotes who you want to be.
Someone once approached Blaise Pascal, the famous French philosopher and said, "If I had your brains, I would be a better person." Pascal replied, "Be a better person and you will have my brains."
The Bible says in Philippians 2:5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Look at the decisions the Lord made in yielding His will to the will of the Father: “…made Himself of no reputation….took upon Him the form of a servant…humbled Himself…obedient unto death….” He yielded His will for me and you! Ruth’s humility is attractive to Boaz. Why? Because this reflects God almighty. Humility will take you much farther than pride promotes itself capable of doing! Church of God – put more emphasis on godly character than outward appearance!
Rewards from Heaven (2:12)
Recompense means “to make good, to restore.” Boaz calls for rewards from where she rests! “…under whose wings thou art come to trust.” Boaz points to Ruth’s relationship with God and His relationship with God — thus clarifying a common bond they already have in the God of Israel.
A man tells the story of riding Shetland ponies. He relates that they were prone to buck you off from time to time, and while riding, one of those occasions occurred. He shared, “Well, as I hit the ground I heard someone call my name, ‘Bruce.’ I rolled over to see who it was and no one did I see. However, when I looked back the pony had just stepped where I rolled from.” He continued, “In God’s grace, He was teaching me to learn to listen to His voice and to trust Him to protect me. God was teaching me to depend upon Him for the help I would need in living life.” (Source: Unknown)
Boaz directs attention to the source of Ruth’s rewards. Such attention was only possible if Ruth was trusting in the Lord! Boaz is drawn to Ruth’s walk with God…her trust in the Lord. Whether you are seeking a marriage partner or already married or remaining single – the single most appealing, important attribute of a believing man or woman is their walk with God…it is Jesus Christ in me! He is the attraction!!
Ready to Dine (2:13-14)
Ruth shows humility and thankfulness. (v. 13) She does not assume or believe Boaz owes her something. In return, Boaz shows obvious positive attention to Ruth. (v. 14) Love’s flower has budded!
Praise the Lord for the Love of God for each of us!
Gary Ezzo says that one of the problems with families today is that the husband and wife join hands to form a family circle and then a child comes along and they place the child in the center with the husband and wife still forming the circle. But now everything revolves around the child. Then a 2nd child comes and that child is also placed in the circle. And now everything revolves around two children. And as the family becomes larger the center becomes so big that the hands of the father and mother are pulled apart and the circle is broken. He says that what we must do is form the circle but with Christ in the center. Then as each child is born, they join hands with mom and dad to make the circle bigger. And the result is that the circle is never broken as long as Christ is the center.
So, here’s the deal: we must love God more than we love anyone else. He is first.
A growing love for God is the attraction for Boaz in Ruth…is your love for God the attraction in you?
Consider these 5 Ways to Love God More…
1. Chase after strong obedience to God. James 1:22-25.
Take a look into the mirror of God’s Word with complete honesty. Do you like what you see? Does God like what He sees…what He knows?
2. Evaluate prayer.
Don’t neglect it. Get serious about your prayer life for a moment. Does your current prayer life demonstrate you believe you need to prayer? Matthew 26:41. Look over the last week…even the last month. What does God see in your prayer life? Does He see consistency, humility, and persistence? Does God see yieldedness, love for Him…love for others…love for your enemies? Does God see a deepening relationship with Him in your prayer life? Matthew 6:5-8.
Our prayer life reveals how much we truly trust God and love God.
3. Forgive everyone – no exceptions.
You may say, “I can’t,” or “I’m not ready.” Well…why? What keeps you from forgiveness? I realize the hurt is most likely deep, but bitterness does not hurt them back.
Bitterness only ruins the vessel that holds it.
Consider this stunning warning from Matthew 6:15, “but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.”
It is hard to hear…but it is truth – an unwillingness to forgive is rooted in pride.
The justifications flood to the surface, I know. “The offense is a deep wound and hurts horribly…the offender doesn’t deserve to be forgiven…the offender is wicked…the offender hasn’t suffered anything compared to me…etc.” Rest assured that God will bring justice in His perfect way – but God will also bring justice on the one who refuses to obey His call to forgive others as they have been forgiven themselves by God. Ephesians 4:32.
4. Deny Self.
Jesus is the ultimate example here. Luke 22:42 reminds us of this with His profound prayer, “…not my will, but thine be done.” Have you surrendered your ambitions, you will, to God? We often object and say we can’t.
Ask yourself this, — Jesus yielded His will to dramatically impact my eternity…what I am holding on to that simply impacts me now and for which I will be accountable later?
This is a daily evaluation for us all!
5. Reject worldly mindsets.
The ways of the world are directly contrary to the ways of God. Be so incredibly careful! The ways of the world can quietly swoop in and infiltrate our heart before we realize what we have allowed to be done. We are called to be like Jesus (I Peter. 1:15; II Cor. 7:1). We are warned not to be fashioned according to the world (Romans 12:2).
Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matt. 22:37-39; Mk. 12:29-31) doesn’t happen all by itself. We must do our part! Are you working on your love relationship with God?