This past Sunday, I shared about the depth of meaning in the Book of Ruth. Briefly, here's an overview of the four "layers" we looked at followed by some reflections on one of the central themes in Ruth.
(1) Ruth is a literary narrative involves appreciating that meaning is crafted not only in the words, but in the style and structure – of the text: the characterization, the plot, the conflict, et cetera. The Book of Ruth is beautifully woven together to captivate us, to draw us in. The literary quality and narrative style connect with us because it is a good, well-crafted, story. We live stories so it is only natural that we find meaning embedded in other stories.
(2) Ruth is a historical narrative, hinting that there is something true, based in history, that the author wants us to understand. It is not simply a fable, a parable, or a well-told story. The author shows us that this story is important because God specifically and intentionally worked in the life of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz in order to produce a child who would be the father of Jesse who would be the father of King David. Matthew's Gospel picks up on the historical importance of Ruth as it traces the lineage of Jesus to Boaz and Ruth.
(3) Ruth is a theological narrative. There is something going on deep within the story that has to do with God. Although God does not take physical form or verbally speak, the main characters have opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings about God to each other and to God. We have an insight into the inner life of faith of these characters as they journey in the reality that God is continually present in their everyday life.
(4) Ruth is a scriptural narrative. There is something in the story that is intended to relate very directly to us and to our world. We say that Ruth, as part of the Scriptures, is inspired (literally “god-breathed”). In other words, Ruth is meant to be as meaningful in our time as it was in the time it was written. As Scripture, Ruth allows the Spirit to raise questions in our lives and our realities, nudging us to find God's beauty, truth, and meaning today.
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As I have been reading, praying, and having conversations about Ruth, the theme of Ruth - God's faithfulness - has been running constantly through my mind. While reading and appreciating the many levels of meaning in Ruth is wonderful, it pales in comparison to recognizing and receiving the many way this story tells how God is faithful, loving, kind, and merciful and how God calls forth a people marked by a similar faithfulness, love, kindness, and mercy.
In Ruth, as in the rest of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, the word used to describe this characteristic of God is hesed. This word, if it had to be translated into a single English word, would be translated as loving-and-faithful-kindness-mercy-and-grace-that-never-stops-and-goes-on-and-on-and-on-forever. It is that rich and powerful of a word describing our God!
The beauty of hesed in the Book of Ruth is that it is not only a trait attributed to God, but to the characters in the story as well. Humans are praised as demonstrating a degree of this concern and care for others. This is part of what it means to be created in God's image: to recognize the way that God acts toward us with hesed causing us, in turn, to respond in worship by treating others with hesed.
So, here we are in Los Angeles, reading this ancient story that raises questions for us - questions about what it means to live in the truth that God’s faithfulness, kindness, mercy, and love truly have no end. This upcoming Sunday, we’ll be taking time for our community to share thoughts on this and on the questions that are raised when a beautiful story like Ruth confronts us in the midst of our comfortable lives, demanding that, should we take this story seriously, we simply must see the world differently.
Consider that God has not stopped acting towards creation – towards us – with hesed and that we are called to carry this image with us in this world.
Let’s talk about what hesed in our midst looks like this Sunday.
/dave
