Paths: A Story of Six Children and Then Some

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One Saturday afternoon, I felt the desire to get up off the couch and film a documentary about how God changes lives.  I am an introvert, so this can only be the work of God.  I came to a garage where a family was doing some work on a bike.  I told them the thesis of my documentary and asked them if any of them would like to be participants.  There was a husband, a wife and a child.  The the husband looked suddenly burdened, he looked up at the sky, his eyes set with what I can only describe as duty.  He looked back at me squinting, his eyes adjusting from the hot summer sun.  “I don’t like being filmed", he protested  I pulled out a notebook and told him I would take notes if he preferred.  His wife came to his side, “Share your testimony with him honey”, she insisted gently.  I don’t know how long I stood in front of that garage in the hot sun, but it was long enough for him to share his shortened testimony with me.  He sighed and started, “Six children started out on a path of death and destruction.”

Six children started out on the path of death and destruction.  One of those children went to night school in his youth.  A man would stay around and witness to the students there, one day he witnessed to that particular youth named Levi.  The witnessing man asked Levi if he were to die that night, if he would go to Heaven.  Introducing himself as Nico, he showed Levi his lost condition with passages out of the Bible everyday for three months.  Eventually, Levi agreed to go with Nico to church.

Levi’s father and mother split up when Levi was quite young, but Levi still held on to his father’s prejudice against hispanic people although he primarily lived with his mother.  As soon as Levi walked in the church he realized that everyone was hispanic except for himself and the preacher.  He was handed a salvation card and went through the steps.  Many times before that day Levi had read through salvation cards like this, but this time he applied his will.  God used the very people who Levi was prejudiced against to bring him to Christ.  

Change was evident in Levi’s life and that bothered his mother, because she had raised him as a Roman Catholic.  Levi and his five siblings were being brought up with the rules of the Roman Catholic religion but Jesus had not worked in any of their hearts, not even in their mother, who was raising them that way.  Levi stopped going to bars with his friends every weekend and getting drunk; God took that desire away from him.  Levi invited his brother to his newfound church and many Sundays after that, the brother came home with  wet hair.  A phrase that echoed throughout the years as the mother saw such change was, “Not in my house!”, she didn’t completely understand why he was being baptized because he had been sprinkled as a baby, for she was not in a changed condition.  Sometime after that two of Levi’s sisters decided to follow Christ as well.

The third sister was witnessed to before she went to Colorado to live with her boyfriend.  Levi showed her the salvation card and explained to her how Christ had changed his life.  She was not saved on that day.  Later, she called Levi and told him that she had been given a pamphlet like he had shown her, and she too, had decided to apply following Christ to her will.  Five out of six children had been saved and their mother had seen the transformation in each of them, as each of the children were changing the way they lived.  

Years passed.  Yet daily, Levi prayed and prayed that his mother would let Christ into her heart , The day came when he felt relieved of the burden of praying for his mother.  He still wasn’t convinced that she had been changed, so he visited her, by this time Levi had a wife and four children of his own.  His mother told him that one day when nobody was home she picked up and read one of the salvation tracks he left behind; she placed it back precisely where she found it so no one would know she read it.God spoke to her heart and she visited with each of her children.  Afterwards, she felt so convicted that she surrendered herself and let Christ change her heart.  

Only one of the siblings remains unsaved, he is being prayed for constantly.  Levi’s father became saved after undergoing some hard times.

What I took away from that story

Levi was the only person who cared to share anything with me that day, needless to say that documentary doesn’t yet exist.  But this story is filled with more substance than I ever expected to glean from a Saturday afternoon.  Here are some things I took away from my time in front of that garage.

• God uses impossible situations to his advantage, in this case, Levi and his siblings being brought to Him through a church full of people they were prejudiced against.
• Never give up hope on someone, God softens people’s hearts with time.  
• God also uses change to bring his children closer to him.
• God gives us spiritual gifts, Levi told me that the more we use them, the more even our own relationship with God is strengthened.
• I have never personally been a fan of the mass production of salvation cards and shrink wrapping the message of salvation, but I have now seen how God can even use those in situations.
• This story is a reminder that even if one is raised in a Christian household, if evident change hasn’t taken place, then one should brutally question their own salvation.

I also want to hear what others took away from this.  And I always want to remind people to email me if they want to share how God changed them or even the lives around them as you have read here.  

New Focus

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I’ve taken some time away from blogging to reassess my purpose for writing.  When I started this blog I wrote for myself.  I wrote about whatever struck my fancy as I studied the Bible and apologetics.  I will be writing about some of the same thing, but with a different motive.  The motive for which I used to write was to cover my journey as I follow in the footsteps of Christ.  I decided to change my motive as I contemplated this verse:  “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord”. (Jeremiah 9:24, NIV)  Covering my journey in Christ isn’t enough, I have to cover God’s influence on my life, the latter will focus less on me and more on God, which is what I should have done all along.  

This is a change that is best for the audience.  I have come to a conclusion that my audience came to long ago, I am not an interesting person.  Sure, I’m “unique” and “special in my own little way” but not newsworthy by any means.  God, on the other hand, is very newsworthy.  He can make or break nations and he has certainly had to break me more than a couple times to build me back up again.  I apologize that I have taken so painfully long to come to this realization.  I honestly thought about ditching Teenage Disciple because of it.  Why ditch the blog though, when this is the perfect opportunity to exercise the new motto:  Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.

I love this new motto for many reasons.  Coming culturally from an American standpoint, I have boasted about many things.  Hardly boasting about God, I have boasted about the things I own, my education, my girlfriend, all things that make me look better on the outside.  What I really need to be boasting about is what makes me look good on the inside: Jesus Christ.  This is a very radical change that God has made in me, one that I see fit to keep as a guideline for not only my blog, but for my life.  Christianity is what is called “a conversion religion”.  How can anyone come to Christ unless someone has boasted about how awesome He is?  Boasting in the Lord is the middleman between the joy of having a relationship with God and the birth of new relationships with God that fruits from that.  

This motto allows me to broaden my writing scope.  I don’t have to focus on “my journey” anymore.  I can now focus on what my motto entails, which is the boasting of my God, what He is doing in my life and in the lives of others.  I have always focused on what God has pointed out to me but now I am able to point out what God is doing in the lives of the ones around me.  It was a mistake to limit my scope of God’s power to myself.  Now I am able to explore God’s power and majesty in a new way, and I’m eagerly anticipating it.

The Big God Conference

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By: Caleb and Tyla

Oh, where to start!?  So much happened at the Big God Conference and I haven’t had much time to prepare any posts yet.  My first post on my trip to the Big God Conference will be on the bands who performed.   

The first night we arrived, For King and Country performed.  I had heard they could put on a show but they still exceeded my expectations.  At any point in time they would switch and play each other’s instruments effortlessly.  They jumped off the stage and spread out across the crowd as they played Angels We Have Heard On High.  Their presence off stage was just as good as their presence off stage and that is saying something.  Three other performers were at the event and not one of them dared to venture off stage.  For King and Country also had a campaign for which they sold five dollar bracelets.  It was to emphasize the worth of women and girls everywhere and to challenge men to respect and honor them.  Those bracelets were probably the most popular thing for the whole three days that the conference was held.  

After their performance was over one of the people packing up the set picked up one of the drum sticks that a member of the band had dropped, “Who wants a souvenir?”, as he threw it off the stage.  I’m proud to say I now claim that drum stick.  I really wish I could say I caught it, more like I stumbled to the middle of the isle of seats where it lay.  For some reason everyone else in my youth group was occupied talking about something else.  Ah, the beauty of Attention Deficit Disorder.  

There was also a woman named Kerrie Roberts who performed. She had a very nice voice and I was impressed with her music.

My friend Tyla is a pretty big fan of the other two performers so I figured I wouldn’t be doing them justice unless I let her give you a little info on them.

Geoffrey Forrest – Geoffrey has been a part of the Big God Conference since he was very small. His parents, Dean and Gayna Forrest, founded Big God in 1998. Along with Big God, they have Forrest Ministries, which has had them traveling since 1992. Back to Geoffrey! He started singing at age 3 and learned how to play the drums at age 7. He has, also, been writing songs about his faith and relationship with God since he was 7. When you listen to his music, all the instruments you hear, except the piano and bass, is all Geoffrey! He taught himself how to play the guitar when he was 16. you cannot watch Geoffrey perform without him playing the guitar, dancing, singing (obviously), and reading the scripture! Geoffrey is now a Senior at Liberty University Online getting a bachelor of science in Religion. While being an online student, being on the road with his family, performing, AND writing songs, he is teaching himself how to play the piano, cello, and violin! He even beat boxes!

I have seen Geoffrey every New Year for the past 4 years at Big God and have loved him from the beginning. I always know that his songs and performance is going to be awesome but every time it gets better and better! It may just be because I am a HUGE fan of his (maybe his biggest) but he always exceeds my expectations! So, if you love awesome, talented, HOT, Christian guys, like I do... you will LOVE Geoffrey Forrest! No matter if you are male or female, young or old, you will LOVE him!

Geoffrey made his first music video for his original song, My Heart Belongs To You. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXjDkQyw2xI

Geoffrey's website is www.geoffreyforrest.com!

Go to iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hey-world/id776196323?ign-mpt=uo%3D4) and get Geoffrey Forrest's debut FULL LENGTH ALBUM, “Hey World!” It is also available on Rhapsody, Amazon, and other online music retailers!

Hawk Nelson – Hawk Nelson is a Canadian Christian rock band that started in 2000. The lead singer was Jason Dunn until Spring 2013. They have five previous albums and just released their first album without Jason, “Made.” I first saw Hawk Nelson in 2010 on New Years Eve at Big God Conference. I fell in love with them as soon as the first song was halfway through! Jason Dunn was my favorite member of the group, so when I found out he was leaving to start his solo career, I was crushed. This year was the first time I have seen them without him, and it was different (but a good different). I knew I still liked them, I just didn't know how different they would be live. I always recommend Hawk Nelson to anyone who asks who they are and I am doing that now! If you look them up, you WILL NOT be disappointed! (While your at it look up Jason Dunn! He has a new album, “Abandon Progress.”)

Hawk Nelson's website is www.hawknelson.com

To see their new videos, got to: https://www.youtube.com/user/hawknelsonmusic

To see their old videos, go to: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hawk+nelson&sm=3

Caleb’s back! Tyla obviously knows a lot more about these people than I ever would, thanks Tyla.  I had a great time at the Big God conference.  We stayed at a hotel with a beach view and had some goofy fun with our youth group friends.  It was also a great opportunity to serve.  When the ball dropped there were hundreds of balloons that rained from the ceiling.  Our excellent youth leader brought latex gloves and made it our mission to clean up every balloon we could.  We stayed until one at least because of having to complete this little task but it was definitely worth doing.  

We had fun but we also had some great worship.  The whole point of the event is to get crazy about God with your friends.  Starting off the new year with fire for God in your heart is the only way to go.  Although you don’t have to pay to get this experience, it’s a fun event for a youth group and definitely one you won’t regret.  

To check out this event, go to:  http://www.forrestministries.org/big_god.htm

Brimming: Challenge Accepted

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Do you see what we've got?  An unshakable kingdom!  And do you see how thankful we must be?  Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God.  For God is not an indifferent bystander.  He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed.  God himself is fire!

(Hebrews 12:28-29, The Message)

Sadly, I’m not brimming with worship in these few hours after Christmas.  Nothing is bothering me except this fact.  So I’m writing this to get myself into a thankful mindset.  Let me also note that this post has an audience of one in mind (as Miss Piggy would say, "moi"). It’s three in the morning so I (somewhat...maybe not) apologize if the informality of this post somehow offends you.

Why should we even be thankful, let alone worship God?  Well Caleb, I’m glad you asked!  This is because God is constantly consuming your heart and clearing out all that bad junk inside.  The cool part is that, because of this, you are even more apt to worship.  

As you stay in the Word you will begin to take more joy in the blessing of an unshakable kingdom because all those ups and downs you are feeling will start to level out.  That is the power of God’s voice in our lives, this is also why Paul of the new Testament had a tendency to sing in his jail cell (Acts 16:25).  

So one day, you might be like Paul, but until then, just keep pondering the word and know that God loves you and is happy with you.  Know that God has a plan for your life; He created a work in you and He promises to finish it (Philippians 1:6).  God won’t leave you hanging!  

Even though life might get hard or even boring, you can rejoice that you have a God who has felt twice as bored and has had life 100 times harder (being nailed to a tree for our sins and all). Jesus has overcome the world and so can you (John 16:33), and you can worship in the process.  

So remember theses things to encourage your worship:

• God loves you and is happy with you
• God won’t leave you hanging
• God is a consuming fire--ponder all that junk that is no longer in your heart
• No matter your situation, Jesus feels ya
• Ponder the Word to ride out your dynamic emotions--God is unchanging, He has that effect on us.  Maybe you too can be a prison singer!

Now go to sleep you tired fool!

He's a Wonderful Christ

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Good morning and Merry...Eh...New Years!  You have woken up in an alternate universe in which Christ was never born.  As we will soon realize, we are in a very horrible situation.  As you walk about your local streets today you will realize there are none of those Santa Claus' with those bells in front of store windows and at street corners because there is no organized charity (2), there never has been.  Sorry Salvation Army and Samaritan's Purse...

Oh no!  You have slipped on some ice and broke your face.  It sure is a shame there are no hospitals around for you to check  in to.  That's right, even hospitals were started by Christians (3).  Notice how a lot of hospital names start with St. for Saint.

At this point you are probably pissed off, so why don't you get in your car and warm up while you listen to some tunes.  That is, of course, if you still have a car...or tunes.  It is debatable that many of the luxuries we have today would be as advanced as they are.  Some pretty smart people developed all that goes into cars and CD's and even radios.  Wouldn't you agree that some of those smart people most likely got a nice college education at Harvard, Princeton, or  Yale (to name a few).  Those universities and many more were started by Christians as well (1).  

Not even to mention what an impact Christianity has had on science.  Francis Bacon, remember learning about him in high school biology?  Well he invented the scientific method.  What a coincidence, as it happens he was a Christian.  

So if there were such a thing as Christmas, what would you want? What's that? Tickets to the the Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug you say?  Well sorry, that doesn't exist either, seeing how J. R. R. Tolkein wove so many Christian themes throughout that book (4).

But worse than the fact that all of these marvels and luxuries are gone, there is one thing that all the world needs.  Hope.  Hell awaits us.  There is no eternity with our Heavenly Father because there is no atonement for our sins aside of sacrificing animals regularly if you are Jewish.  We have to live all our lives and into eternity with the weight of the horrible broken mess we are and knowing that it will never be restored.  Let us pray that our Hero will arrive soon.

God looked and saw evil looming on the horizon—

  so much evil and no sign of Justice.

He couldn’t believe what he saw:

  not a soul around to correct this awful situation.

So he did it himself, took on the work of Salvation,

  fueled by his own Righteousness.

(Isaiah 59:15-16, The Message)

---------End Notes--------

1) http://www.gospelapplied.com/2013/12/24/7-ways-jesus-changed-the-world/

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTbYsSnZ4I0

3) http://saltandlighttv.org/blog/reflections/had-jesus-not-been-born-part-3

4) http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/12/12/did-you-know-about-these-christian-themes-in-j-r-r-tolkiens-the-hobbit/

10 (Main) Reasons To Be A Christian

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1. Christianity is the largest religion in the world.
2. Your life will have meaning.
3. You can live eternal life with Jesus.
4. You can be forgiven of your sins.
5. You can be born a new creation.
6. You can be able to pray.
7. You can have an awesome relationship with God.
8. There is a heap of proof that events in the Bible are real.
9. You can take advantage of the amazing plans God has in store for you.
10. Jesus wasn't some martyr, he rose from the grave for the worlds sins.

If you aren't already a Christian, do you want to be one? You can become a Christian right now by praying to God and asking Him to forgive your sins so you can have eternal life in Heaven with Him.  When you pray you must admit to God that you are sinful and broken and that you always will be.

If you did ask the Lord to forgive your sins, now you are a Christian.  It's pretty simple, but that's the beauty of it!  God gave us everything for nothing.  He gave me and you eternal life with Him, and what have we done for Him?  Nothing.  We don't deserve to have a relationship with a loving God.  God sent His son down on this earth to die for me and you, so your sins could be forgiven.

The next step of being a Christian is a vital one, read the Bible.  All I ask is that you read a chapter a day, which is usually only a page.  Read the New Testament first so you can get to know Jesus better.  The Bible is a lamp to your feet, to have a close relationship with Jesus you must act on what you read.  Do your best to do what the Bible tells you to do.

Another reason that reading the Bible is so vital is because many people will tell you lies about Christianity, and unless you read the Bible those lies will look very believable.  Strive to learn as much as you can about Christianity so you can stand firm in your faith.  Your journey along the narrow path starts now, I wish you well! 

Me The Lunch Lady

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This summer I have a job at a Christian summer camp working in the kitchen, so essentially, I'm a lunch lady. The camp is for kids and teens, my job on most days is to serve them breakfast and lunch as well as to vacuum after they leave for both meals.

Serving is my favorite for a lot of reasons. There is a rhythm to it. There are several dishes on a line with someone to serve each of them. One server grabs a tray and relays it off to the next server until a serving of all the dishes are on the tray. The server at the end of the relay hands the tray to a hungry camper and seven out of ten times gets thanked.

If the rhythm gets disrupted everyone is off their game. A dish runs out and we need to get another tray out of the warmer or a camper asks for more of this dish but definitely none of that dish; the rhythm is suspended.  Because of this we actually have to put thought into "one serving of corn on tray, corn on tray, two servings of corn on tray, one serving of corn on tray, corn on tray, corn on tray" until the blissful rhythm is restored.

Campers come by the hundreds. Last week there were more than four-hundred campers and after second servings there were more than six hundred trays that had to be washed. Most groups of campers only stay for a week or so but you start to remember faces. Maybe it's the little girl who had a bright smile or that vegetarian kid who only asks for a tray and helps himself to the self serve salad trays we set out.

The vacuuming is less pleasant than other tasks but it has gotten easier. I've learned that my apron (which I wash often, may I note) is the perfect place to store little items that can't be vacuumed such as used, abandoned napkins and empty ketchup and mustard packets left behind by the campers. I love shredded cheese, but not when it's on the floor. It has been trampled upon which means it is already stuck in the carpet. Sometimes it takes a couple days worth of vacuum sessions to finally get the yellow out of the dark brown carpet.

Of course I do other odd jobs like rotating the stock which consists of checking that we have everything that we ordered when a new shipment comes in and putting those new items under the old stock so the older food gets used first. The only bad thing about rotating stock is how cold the industrial freezers can get. On a totally unrelated note I really need to start bringing my winter coat to work.

When I first arrived I was very surprised at how clean the kitchen is and how great the food is. All the tables are wiped down and then sanitized. The dishes are all scrubbed and then put in the dishwasher. None of the dishes are hand dried but put on a rack to dry instead. The silverware is sprayed and put through the dishwasher twice. The floors are swept and mopped daily.

Even though most of the food is frozen, so much goes into the preparation and so much is added to it; you would never guess it came out of a freezer. I get a lunch break everyday and eat what I serve, I can honestly say I love every meal I have eaten from camp. I'm getting more and more comfortable with the people I work with, all of them are older than me but it doesn't matter because we all follow the same orders from the head chefs. The head chefs are the best too, God knows they have been so patient with my distracted newbie self. Two of the girls who work with me go on mission trips, one of them is currently going to seminary.

God obviously knows what He is doing. I'm in such a godly and spiritually nurturing work environment. There is such an age different between the kitchen staff. From teenagers to women who have been working since the camp started many decades ago, and we all treat each other like family.

The Lord works in mysterious ways, and because of that, I am working as a lunch lady—and loving it.

That Kind Of Redeemer (Part IV)

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The first verse of chapter four tells us that Boaz "went up to the town gate and sat there (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 4.1)." In the walled city of Bethlehem there was a gate--that anyone had to use to get in or out of the city--and a corridor leading to said gate. Along this corridor there were benches. This was where Boaz was sitting. It was a custom for the people to settle legal matters by the gate. Judges would sit on the bench (after Boaz get's up in a moment) and the people involved in the legal dispute would stand before the judges (E. W. ,60, 61).

Boaz sits at the gate until he sees the second kinsmen redeemer that has been mentioned and invites him kindly to sit down on the bench while he rounds up ten elders or judges of the town. Once the ten elders are sitting on the bench and the two kinsmen-redeemers are standing before them, court is in session. Boaz is very smart about how he bargains with the other kinsman. "Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 4.3, 4)." Boaz tells the other kinsman, "Remember that land Elimelech had, Naomi has mortgaged it and I want to redeem it. But I came to you to see if you wanted to redeem it since you are first in line to do that". The other kinsman then tells Boaz, "I will redeem it (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 4.4)." This is where Boaz plays his best card, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man's widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 4.5)." Boaz says, "Oh yeah, did I mention you will have to marry a Moabitess?" Suddenly the other kinsman changes his mind, "Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 4.6)." How great the triumphant Boaz must have felt. He is going to marry the girl of his dreams.

The other kinsman took off his sandal and handed it to Boaz, this signified that both parties understood this trading of property (Ernest, et al. 126-133, 318). Boaz announces to the crowd that they are witnesses to the redemption of Naomi's land as well as Ruth. Boaz went to the gate to claim his bride. Likewise, Jesus came to earth to claim His bride (Vernon 88-120). Just like Boaz saved Ruth from marrying the other kinsman, Jesus saved us from the Mosaic Law. Just like Boaz loved Ruth, Jesus loves us. To think that Obed—the son of Ruth and Boaz—would be the great grandfather of this Redeemer. The Kinsman Redeemer needed by all. It's not something one can entirely appreciate or grasp until it has been experienced. To be redeemed.
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Bibliography

Deen, Edith. All of the Women of the Bible. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1988.
     81-87. Print


George, Elizabeth. A Devotional Walk with the Women of the Bible: Women Who Loved God.
     Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1999. 142-154. Print


Heaton, E. W. Everyday Life in Old Testament Times. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons,
     1956. 60-61. Print


McGee, J. Vernon. Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee: Joshua through Psalms 2.
     Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988. 88-120. Print


The Teen Study Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1998.
     317-321. Print


Wright, G. Ernest, Vaughn E. Crawford, Stephen J. Hartdegen, Laton E. Holmgren, Robert H.
     Johnston, James B. Pritchard, Nahum M. Sarna, Patrick W. Skehan, et al., Great
     People of the Bible and How They Lived. Sydney, Australia: The Reader's Digest
     Association, 1974. 126-133, 318. Print

That Kind Of Redeemer (Part III)

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Ruth stays with Naomi and continues to glean in Boaz’s field until the harvest is over. Every day Naomi gets more impatient, she cooks up a plan and serves it casually to Ruth,

"My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you where you will be well provided for? Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 3.1-4)."

This is a very detailed plan which Naomi obviously put a lot of thought into. She lets Ruth know that Boaz is Ruth’s to claim any time she wants to. In fact, Naomi wants Ruth to claim him tonight. She mentions a threshing floor. A threshing floor is a circular flat place on top of a hill where harvesters would lay the grain stalks out and crush them to separate the grain from the chaff (Vernon 88-120). Once the grain stalks were crushed, what was left was thrown up into the air. The chaff would blow away and the grain would fall back down (Ernest, et al. 126-133, 318). After the threshing is finished they worshiped, had a meal, and lay down on the threshing floor to sleep with their legs out like spokes of a wheel (Vernon 88-120).  Naomi is telling Ruth to look her best, smell her best, and dress her best for her redeemer. Imagine Boaz's surprise to wake up in the middle of the night to see a beautiful, well dressed, clean woman at his feet. He asked "Who are you?" Ruth replied to him, "I am your servant Ruth . . . Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsmen-redeemer (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 3.9)." Ruth just told him that she wants him as her kinsmen-redeemer and that brightened his mood a great deal, his dream girl just told him that she wants to get married to him.

Boaz is ecstatic. "The LORD bless you, my daughter," he replied. "This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character. Although it is true that I am near of kin, there is a kinsmen-redeemer nearer than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good; let him redeem. But if he is not willing, as sure as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 3.10-13." Boaz has been in awe of this woman's attitude since he met her. She does not complain (like another "bitter" woman he knows) and her character really is noble. When Boaz found out she was a Moabite he was probably expecting her to run after any man she saw, for that was the stereotype of the Moabite women of his day. But no, Ruth was different, he saw that and fell hard for her. She is hard working, she provides for her family of one, and she is faithful to the LORD and to Naomi. That is a woman any man would want to marry.

Boaz told her that there was a kinsmen nearer than him. Boaz is—just like Ruth—a noble character; even though he loves Ruth dearly, he is going to allow this man who is a nearer kinsman than himself a fair chance to marry her. Boaz may be giving this other man a chance to marry Ruth but he still has a few cards to play. To be redeemed one had to be related to the redeemer. That's why Christ came down on this earth to be a man (he was fully man and fully God at the same time) so he could redeem us and pay the price for our sins.

Boaz tells Ruth to stay with him until morning. What many think to be a seducing gesture is merely something an Israelite gentleman would say. Back in the days of the judges, the highways weren't safe—much like today—and people ran through the fields instead (Vernon 88-120). Boaz was looking out for Ruth's safety. The girl of Boaz's dreams just asked him to be her kinsmen-redeemer—what is he supposed to do? — just tell her, "Scuttle along now. Don't get killed on the highway. Better yet, take walk through the fields home in the dark. Don't trip." Ruth would be having second thoughts about who her redeemer would be.

Ruth laid by Boaz's feet until the early morning. Boaz told her, "Don't let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 3.14)." Boaz does not say this out of embarrassment. He knew gossip would spread though, and he did not want the other kinsman to know (Vernon 88-120). Boaz does not want Ruth to go back empty handed so he gives her some barley to carry home in her shawl.

Ruth gets home and tells Naomi everything that has happened, girl talk. By now Ruth is anxious and wants to know when she will be redeemed. "Then Naomi says, "Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 3.18)." Naomi knows Boaz and how determined he is to fulfill a goal, Naomi is telling Ruth that Boaz will do the redeeming for her. We can liken Naomi to someone who knows Christ, anyone who knows Christ knows that he does the redeeming for us. There is nothing that we can do to count towards our own redemption, if there was something we could do then Jesus died for us in vain.
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Bibliography

Deen, Edith. All of the Women of the Bible. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1988.
     81-87. Print


George, Elizabeth. A Devotional Walk with the Women of the Bible: Women Who Loved God.
     Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1999. 142-154. Print


Heaton, E. W. Everyday Life in Old Testament Times. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons,
     1956. 60-61. Print


McGee, J. Vernon. Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee: Joshua through Psalms 2.
     Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988. 88-120. Print


The Teen Study Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1998.
     317-321. Print


Wright, G. Ernest, Vaughn E. Crawford, Stephen J. Hartdegen, Laton E. Holmgren, Robert H.
     Johnston, James B. Pritchard, Nahum M. Sarna, Patrick W. Skehan, et al., Great
     People of the Bible and How They Lived. Sydney, Australia: The Reader's Digest
     Association, 1974. 126-133, 318. Print

That Kind of Redeemer (Part II)

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The second chapter of Ruth immediately mentions a relative of Elimelech named Boaz.  He becomes more essential to the story later on. Since Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem in time for the spring grain harvest they thought they would take advantage of a Mosaic Law (Ernest, et al. 126-133, 318). This law states that during harvest time the poor may go out into the fields and glean (in this case) the leftover grain in the fields. Because of this law, harvesters were only allowed to glean their fields once so they were apt to leave stalks behind for the poor. The edges and corners of the fields where the sickle was not easily wielded were left for the poor as well (Vernon 88-120). This is a great example of God's reverence for the poor.

Ruth tells Naomi she is going to the fields to gather grain behind the harvesters and Naomi gives her the go ahead. "As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech" (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.3). This is where Boaz comes into the picture. He arrives from Bethlehem (perhaps where he had some business) and greets the workers with, "The LORD be with you (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.4)!" He just entered the story and already he looks like a stand up guy. The name Boaz means "strength" or "mighty man of law". He definitely proves to be both of these (Vernon 88-120). Boaz asks, "Whose young woman is that?" This beautiful woman caught Boaz's eye and he wants to know who she is. His foreman answers, "She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter" (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.5-7). It almost sounds like this foreman is making an excuse (Vernon 88-120). "It's not our fault! She just came here and worked her butt off all day; even if she is a Moabite we can't do anything about it!"

But how wrong that foreman was to apologize. Boaz does not mind Ruth being in his fields at all, in fact, he would not have it any other way. "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the jars the men have filled (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.8, 9).” Does he like her or does he like her? He makes sure she stays with him, he keeps her safe telling the men not to molest her, and he makes sure her needs are met (Ernest, et al. 126-133, 318).

At this, Ruth bows before him with her face in the dirt and says, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.10)?" Ruth had been warned about what would happen if she came along with Naomi and did not expect anyone treat her nice or receive any praise for anything. Israelites did not even let Moabites worship in their temples but Boaz shows concern for her wellbeing. Boaz even compliments her, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother in your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.11, 12).” He knows what a sacrifice she made for Naomi and for God and how hard that was for her. He makes sure she knows that he understands her. He loves her and he is going to prove it.

Ruth is blown away that someone she just met—someone of his status—could care for her so much. "May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord. . .You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servant girls" (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.13). Boaz then invites her at mealtime to sit with his servants and dip bread in wine vinegar which was a special treat (Ernest, et al. 126-133, 318).

After Ruth is done eating the roasted grain that Boaz gave her, she continues gleaning. Boaz tells his workmen to let Ruth glean right where they are harvesting and when nobody is looking, to drop a sheave here and there for her to pick up. This shows that Boaz was not out to merely be nice to Ruth in front of her face. He is showing kindness to her behind her back when it will not benefit him. He is not out to impress her, Boaz loves Ruth.

At the end of that day, Ruth gleans a bushel of barley (Vernon 88-120). This is a fine day's wage for this widow. When Naomi sees Ruth lugging in that much barley she asks where on earth she had been gleaning. Ruth tells her that she gleaned in the field of some man named Boaz. "The LORD bless him!" Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. "He has not stopped showing kindness to the living and the dead." She adds, "That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers (The Teen Study Bible, Ruth 2.20)." This is where another law comes in.

This Mosaic Law is goel in Hebrew or "kinsman-redeemer". It is stated in Leviticus twenty-five of the Bible and it works in three ways. It works in relation to land, individuals, and widows. God gave the Israelites the Promised Land, but they could only have it as long as they were faithful to God. Israel was split up into twelve tribes and each tribe had a plot of land. Within those tribes there were families and each family had a small share of the land. Perhaps a family became poor and they had to mortgage their land to a rich neighbor. That neighbor could only take up to a fifty year mortgage because of the Year of Jubilee, when all mortgages are cancelled. When the mortgages were cancelled the land went back to its original owner, that is how land stayed in the family. Even so, it was a long time in between Jubilees not to have ones land. That is why if someone's land was mortgaged and a relative of that family moves close by, that relative can pay off the mortgage and restore the land to the family before the Year of Jubilee (Vernon 88-120).

This can also apply to individuals. If times got tough, a man could sell himself into slavery to feed his family until the Year of Jubilee. If the Year of Jubilee was 40 years away and a relative came by and saw his cousin in slavery, he could pay the price of his cousin's slavery. This is exactly what Jesus did for us, we were slaves to sin but he paid the price for our sins. This is redemption by love; it's only if we accept this love that we can be redeemed (Vernon 88-120).

In relation to widows, if a husband dies and leaves his wife childless the law states that man's brother (or his closest relative) can marry that widow and have a child with her. An example of this can be set up using a set of brothers. One of these brothers gets married and dies shortly after. Jacob's widow can claim one of his brothers if they are not already married. If the brother she claims turns her down she can take him before a court of judges. She then takes off his shoe and spits in his face. This was very offensive back then and that man is disgraced for leaving her a poor widow and not helping her raise a family (Vernon 88-120).