Blessable Relationships
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.” Ruth 2:8-13
This is the year of blessing.
Our relationships will be fruitful and multiply as we choose to remain planted.
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:39-45
Comparison, envy and competition could have kept Elizabeth from honoring, blessing and celebrating what the Lord was doing in Mary’s life.
BUT because Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit: honor, blessing and celebration was what came out of her mouth!
Lord wants to move us from:
comparison to honor
competition to blessing
envy to celebration
What does this mean?
To Honor: See through His eyes
To Bless: Say what only He says
To Celebrate: Fix your eyes on Jesus and what He is doing
The Lord wants to move us into a culture of honor, blessing and celebration.
Strategy:
HONOR OUT LOUD, BLESS OUT LOUD, CELEBRATE OUT LOUD
19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” Ruth 1:19
There are kingdom relationships here that are meant to stir up a city for Jesus!
There are friendships here that have kingdom purpose and are meant to have a bigger impact FOR JESUS than you could ever imagine.
-Friendships that are intended to build the Kingdom of God together!
-Friendships that are meant to
run together
build together
create together!
Boaz told Ruth: “don’t glean in another field, but keep close to my young women”
Do not glean from another field, but keep close to the women He has planted you with.
WARNING: You are not called to be in close friendship with everyone.
Jesus had 12 friends, from those 12 he had 3 close relationships and only 1 intimate.
Set proper expectations, but also don’t close yourself off from people because of bad experiences. Jesus didn’t. (Friend betrayed Him, close friend denied Him) Yet we still have the opportunity to be called friends of God.
Will you look around you and commit to being a friend to the women in this field?
The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord,
There is a reward for you. There is a blessing as you determine to be a friend who is planted.
Naomi and Ruth were blessed and so were their generations to come!
-David’s lineage would come as a result of this relationship
-Jesus’ lineage would come from as a result of this relationship
The reward was bigger than them! The reward went far beyond them.
Ministry Moment:
Break off comparison
Break off competition
Break of envy
Pray Blessing over one another today!
“‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
Numbers 6:24-26
