Ordinary Made Extraordinary

So it’s about a month and a half since literally everything has changed. Ironically, as fast as things are changing, life has seemed to slow down. Life has almost halted to a complete stop for most. I am continually thankful to God and humbled that my life hasn’t changed much other than I have no job and not much filling my time. Actually, it’s been causing my definition of productivity to land on its head. In terms of productivity for God’s kingdom, it seemed my time was limited to possibly listening to sermons and extending my time in His word. But overtime, as months turn into normality, not doing much has changed from frustration into a joy.

I think God wired to me to be someone who loves to do a lot and be purposeful. Productivity to me is ensuring that every minute I am given is used for something. So when quarantine took away my ability to go to work and just remain at home, it made me feel a bit uncomfortable and began feeling like I'm wasting time doing normal things, even relaxing things. It seemed counter productive to God's kingdom work. But as I read scripture in the book of Ruth, I am completely challenged and amazed how God can take a man who is seemingly normal and use his daily life as a testament for something greater than I could think of.

In Ruth, Boaz is a normal guy who was a wealthy farmer in Bethlehem that did what any farmer did. Tended to his field and simply lived the life God gave him faithfully. What stands out about Boaz's life is that: His life is a display of the goodness of God’s law and God’s heart and demonstrates how simple faithfulness in the daily speaks volumes of who God is. And in turn, the simplicity of his life and his actions are used by God in the highest measure and play a small, yet significant part in God’s plan of redemption.

Boaz was not much when I initially read this story. It seemed like he was a normal guy who obeyed God throughout. He was no miracle worker, no savior like the book of judges, it seemed like this guy didn’t do much for God in that sense. God didn’t give him that lot for his life, yet his life is one that is highlighted to me because like many of us, we are seemingly ordinary among the many. But somehow, by God’s grace, we have the opportunity to display who God is even in the day to day. I mean it is the day to day that actually matters right? In this story, Boaz day in and day out, is like a pretty good example of what a godly man would look like in the day. He seems humble despite the wealth he has obtained and shows obedience to God in the things that he does and says. In Chapter 2, he follows one of the laws of God that commands farmers to leave some of their produce for those in need like the widow, orphan, or the sojourners ( Deut 24:19). Next, Boaz displays the provision and the kindness of God by protecting Ruth in the fields by telling her to stay with the servants of his field, gives her a supply of water freely, and even feeds her where she becomes satisfied and has leftovers (Ruth 2:13).He treats and care for her well like a servant versus a sojourner. Then lastly, Boaz takes the role as her “redeemer” since he is distantly related to Naomi, but what is interesting is that he does it in an upright way. He knows that he could have easily become the redeemer when Ruth asks, but he is trustworthy and knows there is a redeemer that is closer in relationship to Naomi than him and wants to ask him first. Such honesty and loyalty and one who is humble and upright. A redeemer in those days is the closest male relative to a widow etc, who would preserve the family name and land whether it be through buying it, marrying the widow (Lev 25:25, 47-49, Deut 25:5-10). Anyways, all that to say, this man literally takes every day, not really glorifying obedience but does so in a humble fashion, it’s a matter of fact to him. But by doing so, he displays God’s heart behind the laws he obeys and fulfills his purpose as an image bearer of God.

So what does this mean? I am challenged that our so-called mundane and “ boring” lives even in this quarantine can be a huge tool for God to be displayed. And it displays that much more glory. It’s easy for me to assume that doing things like, watching a sermon, going on missions, sharing the gospel, and just doing those “big” things for God is pleasing to Him. And I strongly believe that they are, but it makes me think of how simply obeying the commandments of God, whether we measure them to be big or small, can display an equal amount of glory.

Sometimes it is easy to measure and falsely put one commandment greater than the other. And maybe it’s just me realizing that the influence of culture where one thing seems more productive or more glorifying than another. For instance, I think it would be easy for me to count global missions as more productive than sitting on my couch or raising kids. But I think this mindset for me comes from a place of either not truly understanding grace and that God delights and saves me just because he chooses to do so ( Eph 2:8-9) or it displays that sinful nature that always wants a piece and shares in that glory. What I am trying to say is like 1 Corinthians 10:31 talks about, whether you eat or drink, do unto the glory of God. These are things we have to do in order to survive, but do it unto the glory of God. So whether we eat, drink, work, parent, child, play, rest, pastor, read, pray, evangelize, watch TV, rest in God’s grace and let all be done as an act of service to the one who enlisted us ( 2 Tim 2:4).

Boaz’s life challenges me because of the simple obedience that his life shows. The way he conducts himself is rooted in trust in God’s command, that shaping what he says and does is the best thing for not only him, but the glory of God. Because of Boaz, I saw that God’s laws are not meaningless, but show the depths of care for those who are normally rejected and display a kindness that points to God. By the effects and kindness Boaz has towards Ruth, we can see that is ultimately pointing to the heart of God and characteristics of God. God cares, loves, and wants us to hope and trust in Him. His laws are good because He is (Psalm 119:1-7,17-20,37,105). And it's in Boaz's obedience to God's law, it is shown.

Boaz was walking in the two greatest commandments before they were blatantly stated. Boaz was first loving God by obeying and because the very nature displays God, Boaz was led to love another. That’s who our God is. I leave Ruth with a new understanding that our lives don’t have to be amazing among the world to display God. I am one to confess to rank different commands of God, yet even in the commands that are so easily overlooked displays the highest characteristics of God. So let me not discount or squander what God can do even in the mundane and daily faithfulness we can have now. Let our simple lives speak volumes to a powerful God who can and promises to display his power, his heart, and character through jars of clay (2 Corinth 4:7).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ( Col 3:16-17)