1 a: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general b: recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability (has the reputation of being clever)
2: a place in public esteem or regard : good name (trying to protect his reputation)
Ruth 4:1-10
Throughout the book of Ruth, Boaz is set up as a character who foreshadows Christ for the reader. After all, he redeems Ruth, as Christ redeems us. Yet as I read my passage in Ruth for this week, I am struck by a completely different angle. This week's passage leaves me believing that we should be more like Boaz. Instead of foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice for us, Boaz shows us how we should honor that sacrifice.
Chapter 4 of Ruth is the final one, so the story is drawing to a close. Ruth has come from a foreign land against her mother-in-law's urging, worked diligently in Boaz's fields and asked Boaz to marry her. We see Boaz act on Ruth's invitation to marriage in this passage and the reason that he gives for marrying her is, in part, to protect the name and reputation of her dead husband. This is remarkable on several levels.
First of all, this is a man Ruth presumably loved. Boaz is not jealous of this previous love of Ruth's, but honors it instead. This shows not only his confidence in her feelings for him, but a compassion for all that Ruth has been through. She loved Mahlon enough to leave her homeland and journey with his mother to Bethlehem. Boaz sees this and gives respect instead of condemnation. Where am I lacking the confidence to respect the choices and sacriothers have made?
Secondly, Boaz is not concerned with his own name or reputation, but with preserving another's. He marries Ruth so that Mahlon's name will live on. Isaiah 53 says that Christ was "cut off from the land of the living" and Boaz says he is marrying Ruth so that "the name of the deceased will not be cut off." Christ was willing to be cut off from the land of the living so that we could have an eternal inheritance. If Boaz is willing to raise up a dead relative's name and reputation, how much more should I be willing to raise up Christ's name?
Finally, Boaz does all of this in the presence of witnesses. It's interesting to note in the above definitions for reputation that every definition involves the judgement or regard of others. Boaz doesn't raise up the name of Mahlon privately with Ruth. He does so publicly, in front of the elders of the town. If he did it privately, it wouldn't have the same impact. Similarly, if we as Christians only raise up Christ's name in private, how does that further His reputation? Don't we need to acknowledge publicly all that he did and does for us?
How am I putting my own reputation before that of Christ? How can I be more focused on living and acting to preserve His good name and not my own?
2: a place in public esteem or regard : good name (trying to protect his reputation)
Ruth 4:1-10
Throughout the book of Ruth, Boaz is set up as a character who foreshadows Christ for the reader. After all, he redeems Ruth, as Christ redeems us. Yet as I read my passage in Ruth for this week, I am struck by a completely different angle. This week's passage leaves me believing that we should be more like Boaz. Instead of foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice for us, Boaz shows us how we should honor that sacrifice.
Chapter 4 of Ruth is the final one, so the story is drawing to a close. Ruth has come from a foreign land against her mother-in-law's urging, worked diligently in Boaz's fields and asked Boaz to marry her. We see Boaz act on Ruth's invitation to marriage in this passage and the reason that he gives for marrying her is, in part, to protect the name and reputation of her dead husband. This is remarkable on several levels.
First of all, this is a man Ruth presumably loved. Boaz is not jealous of this previous love of Ruth's, but honors it instead. This shows not only his confidence in her feelings for him, but a compassion for all that Ruth has been through. She loved Mahlon enough to leave her homeland and journey with his mother to Bethlehem. Boaz sees this and gives respect instead of condemnation. Where am I lacking the confidence to respect the choices and sacriothers have made?
Secondly, Boaz is not concerned with his own name or reputation, but with preserving another's. He marries Ruth so that Mahlon's name will live on. Isaiah 53 says that Christ was "cut off from the land of the living" and Boaz says he is marrying Ruth so that "the name of the deceased will not be cut off." Christ was willing to be cut off from the land of the living so that we could have an eternal inheritance. If Boaz is willing to raise up a dead relative's name and reputation, how much more should I be willing to raise up Christ's name?
Finally, Boaz does all of this in the presence of witnesses. It's interesting to note in the above definitions for reputation that every definition involves the judgement or regard of others. Boaz doesn't raise up the name of Mahlon privately with Ruth. He does so publicly, in front of the elders of the town. If he did it privately, it wouldn't have the same impact. Similarly, if we as Christians only raise up Christ's name in private, how does that further His reputation? Don't we need to acknowledge publicly all that he did and does for us?
How am I putting my own reputation before that of Christ? How can I be more focused on living and acting to preserve His good name and not my own?
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