Ruth 4

"So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son." (v. 13)

Here we see the rewards of doing right. Ruth, a Gentile woman, becomes the grandmother of David, the king of Israel. God had given her great honor; she married a godly man, which is a Bible principle, and he was a man that God had made rich, so that she would have need, nor want, of anything. When young people marry, they need to be sure that God has blessed the one whom they intend to marry. This is one reason why Christians ought to marry Christians, and together they can glorify the Lord. God's hand was upon Boaz mightily, and that alone, aside from him owning the fields, made him a rich man. You see, when we have the Lord, we have it all. Too often we allow circumstances to forbid the truth of this from our eyes, and we fail miserably before we realize that Jesus is the only way to get anywhere in this life. God gave her a husband; great riches; a heritage (in David); great honor among the people; and a place of honor in the annals of history, in the Bible, and forever; not to mention a higher hope, eternal life. How could she have asked for more? The fact is, God rewards His faithful servants; it pays to do right. We see this pattern over and over again in the Bible, and, though many adverse circumstances came their way, and much affliction embraced them, they came through it with "flying colors." Ruth kept her integrity unto the end, and became, as seen in chapter 3, the ideal "virtuous woman." (v. 11). 

God's rewards are there for you too, what will you do with them? They are given in certain measure, to faithful men and women, for our benefit here on earth. Life is happier, more productive, and much more worth living when we have the blessings of God upon us. Ruth gained respect of the people by her chastity and modesty and honesty and everything good. She loved the good, and hated the evil, and God blessed her abundantly. Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon did wrong in moving to Moab, but God turned it out to His own glory in spite of their foolishness. These three men died, and Orpah went back to her people and her god, but Ruth stayed with Naomi, and was blessed beyond her wildest dreams.

--Marty Dunn

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