Costly Kindness

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Series Recap

• Theme: God works through ordinary people.
• The story of Ruth happens in the “Great Plains” of life—between dishes, laundry, and homework.
• Hesed (Kindness):
  • Chapter 1: Relentless Kindness (Ruth stays).
  • Chapter 2: Protective Kindness (Boaz provides).
  • Chapter 4: Costly Kindness (The price is paid).

The Meaning of Redemption

• The Go-el (Redeemer):
  • In our culture, “redeem” is a coupon word.
  • In Israel, it was a survival word.
• Without a social safety net, the Redeemer was the family member with the duty to restore you.
• The goal wasn't just financial aid; it was reintegration into the family.
• This concept is rooted in the Exodus, where God redeemed His people from slavery.

The Conflict at the Gate

• The Players:
  • Boaz: Willing to redeem.
  • Mr. So-and-So (The Nearer Kinsman): Has the legal right to go first.
• The Deal:
  • Mr. So-and-So is eager to buy the land.
  • He rejects the deal when he learns he must also marry Ruth.
• The Calculation:
  • If he marries Ruth, the land goes to her line, not his.
  • He refuses because it will impair his inheritance.
  • He isn't being greedy; he is being reasonable.
• This represents a collision between Commercial Wisdom and Costly Kindness.

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The House of Fear vs. The Kingdom

• Mr. So-and-So lives in the “House of Fear.”
  • Logic: You must hoard to survive.
  • Belief: You are an orphan with no one to save you.
• Kingdom Logic:
  • House of Fear calculates risk.
  • The Kingdom carries a cross.
• The Contrast:
  • Common Sense: Protect your peace. Kingdom: Love your enemies.
  • Common Sense: Secure your future. Kingdom: Give your life away.
• Hesed is not Hesed until it costs us something.
  • If it fits in spare time, it's a hobby.
  • If it comes from excess, it's charity.
  • If it mars your inheritance, it's Hesed.

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Success vs. Fruitfulness

A Tale of Two Legacies

• Mr. So-and-So:
  • Chose safety and control.
  • Kept his assets but lost his name.
• Boaz:
  • Chose vulnerability and cost.
  • Became the great-grandfather of David and ancestor of Jesus.
• The Distinction:
  • Success: Measurable, visible, and about control.
  • Fruitfulness: Often invisible, delayed, and comes from weakness.
• Boaz didn't get a payback in his lifetime; he planted a seed for a forest he would never see.

The True Redeemer

• We often act like Mr. So-and-So because we try to be our own Redeemer.
• We try to buy our own safety.
• The Gospel:
  • Jesus impaired His own inheritance on the cross.
  • He paid the cost so we could stop being afraid of it.
• The Application:
  • The “Good Life” is not the Safe Life; it is the Given Life.
  • We are free to be generous because the bill has already been paid.

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