Self-Leadership - Seasons of Life

Opening Reflection

Ecclesiastes 7:8
The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

Opening Discussion:

Seasons of the world

1. Winter – Cold
2. Spring - Opportunity
3. Summer - Warmth
4. Autumn – Slow Down

Facts about the seasons:

1. They always occur at approximately the same
time every year
2. Different locations experience them differently
3. The extent of a season may be reduced or
increased from time to time
Questions
1. What is your knowledge and/or
NOTES: experience with seasons?
1. God is the author of seasons (Gen. 1:14)
2. Life has different seasons (Eccl. 3)
3. You should understand you current season (1
2. In your opinion, what is the
Chron. 12:32)
4. The seasons that may need most attention is season of your life?
the winter
5. What you do in one season may affect you in
another 3. What do you need to do to
remain or get to a better
season?

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 Background
This book was written in the days of Judges when there was disobedience, confusion.

Judges 21:25: In those days there was no king. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes

Part I – Elimelech & Family relocates to Moab (Ruth 1:1-5)

In the season when judges ruled, there was famine in Bethlehem, so Elimelech left for Moab with his
wife Naomi and his two sons Mahlon and Kilion. Within 10 years, Elimelech and his two sons who had
since married Moabite women Orpah and Ruth died, so Naomi was left with her two daughters in law.

The names and meanings of the people and places give insight on the situation:

 Bethlehem means “house of bread” – but it was famine stricken because of disobedience (See
Exodus 3:8) and the people went to enemy territory for food.
 Elimelech means , “My God is King” and Naomi , “Pleasant” and sons Mahlon, "Sickness", and
Kilion , "Wasting”
 Kilion married Orpah which means “fawn” , Mahlon married Ruth which means “friend”

1. Pain:
- Pain is an unpleasant physical sensation caused by injury (google). It may also
be referred to as affliction, trouble, suffering.
- Sources of pain include sickness, suffering, failure to achieve etc. but most
painful is death, separation from a loved one.
- Pain takes away our joy, isolates us, leaves us with scars and damages our
outlook of ourselves.
- There are seasons of life when we seem to move from one pain to another

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 - Pain is a bitter pill that we have to swallow from time to time as Naomi did.

- As Christians we should note that we are not exempts from pain, See John 16:33

- Since God is all knowing, sovereign, he knows all our pain and is without knowledge working
through it as well, Romans 8:28

- If we accept that at some point in life we will be in pain, it will help us prepare and be better at
handling them. The Lord promises that his grace is sufficient for us, see 2 Cor. 12:9.

- The isolation that pain causes us makes it more valuable for our learning for our lives, for the sake
of others and in our relationship with God.

Songs that come to my mind: For the God of the mountain (Hymn) , You
are God alone (Hymn) , I will sing (Don Moen)

Part II: Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:6-22)

Naomi heard the Lord had come to the aid of the people so he chose to go back to Bethlehem. She
advised her daughters in law to remain back even hopes that the Lord grants them rest in the home of
other husbands.

Naomi affirms she is bitter and that the Lord had turned against her. Orpah kissed her Mother in law
goodbye while Ruth clung to Naomi, insisting she would go back with her to Bethlehem.

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But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and
where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will
die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates
you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning, they were gladly received by
the people. Naomi insisted she should be called Mara which means “bitter” because the Lord had made
her life bitter, afflicted and brought misfortune upon her, that she went to Moab full but returned back
empty.

2. Path:

- A path is way that you use to get to a destination. It may or may not be fully known to you at the
time to start off.

- While the easier option is to sit and have a pity party (staring at the closed door) when we are in
pain, taking responsibility of our lives demands that we find a way of moving on from our pain.

- The path you take determines your life destiny, taking a path means making a choice and moving in
that direction.

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The pain caused Naomi to seek an identity change to Mara, bitter. She did not see anything pleasant
about her or even the season that they had returned. (See bitter waters in Exodus 15:23-25)

Naomi chose the path of going back home even though she had lost everything in Moab. Ruth chose to
severe links with Moab and go with her mother in law while Orpah remained in Moab.

The route less travelled can be risky but also rewarding considering that God advises we should live by
faith and not by sight, See 2 Cor. 5:7 and that he would grant us the desires of our hearts, See Psalm
37:4.

Ruth remained true to her name, a friend, clung to Naomi even though she was going to an unknown
place and people.

Ruth chose to go and know Naomi’s God. She demonstrates the nature of commitment we should have
as believers and married couples when we vow.

The path that you take will determine the people you meet on the way. It is said that when Jesus was on
his way he had to go through Samaria, John 4. It is also said that when Eagles fly they can only meet
eagles.

Part III: Ruth gleans, Boaz takes notice of her: (Ruth 2:1-23)

Ruth went to Boaz’s field, a man of high standing who was also a relative to glean behind the harvesters.

Boaz was kind to his harvesters as can be seen in his greeting: “The Lord be with you!” “The Lord bless
you!” they answered (v4). He took note of Ruth for her hard work and support for mother in law. He
asked him not to go elsewhere and directed the young men not to lay a hand on her, directed the
workers to leave extras for her (v15-16), set her free to drink from the water jars and offered food (v14).

Ruth acknowledged the favor: At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him,
“Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” (v10)

He further prayed that the Lord would reward Ruth: 12 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”

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“May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking
kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

Ruth gathered significant amount of grain and her mother in law was impressed with this and the report
of the interaction with Boaz. Naomi confirmed that Boaz was one of the guardian redeemers and had
indeed shown kindness to the living and the dead, advised Ruth to only glean in Boaz’s farm, Ruth
followed this to the latter.

3. People:

- As we move in the path of God, he has placed people who will eventually bring joy to us and
support us through what may seem like a difficult season.

- Naomi and Ruth offered mutual support to one another, Boaz too restored dignity to the
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The kind of person we are too propels us to meet the relevant people as well. For Ruth it was hard
work, noble character and care for her mother in law.
Israelites were keen to keep the laws of the Lord including the kinsman’s redeemer (Lev. 25:25, Deut.
25:5) and compassion for those who are poor when harvesting (Lev. 19:9-10 , Deut. 24:19)

Deut. 24:19:
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf , do not go back to get it. Leave it for the
alien, the fatherless and the widow , so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your
hands.

Deut. 25:5-10:

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If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry
outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a
brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that
his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
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However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the
town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He
will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon
him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow
shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and
say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That
man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.

The kinsman closer than Boaz pulled off his sandal in front of witnesses to forfeit the obligation, so that
Boaz could fulfill it. The idea of this act apparently is that the man resigns the right of walking on the
land as master, in favour of him to whom he gives the shoe.

Boaz means “Cheerful readiness”

Song: Who am I that the Lord of all the Earth (Casting crowns)

Part IV: Ruth gets married, gives birth (Ruth 3: 1-18)

Naomi was keen that Ruth finds a home where she will be provided for, sent Ruth to Boaz at his
threshing floor in her best clothes to go and uncover his feet at the appropriate feet which she did as
directed.

When Boaz noticed he turned and a conversation ensured:

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“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over
me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”

10
“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. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t
be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble
character. 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is
more closely related than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as

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your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I
will do it. Lie here until morning.”

Boaz gifted Ruth with six measures of barley so as not to go to her mother in law empty handed. He later
followed through his commitment to be the guardian redeemer after consulting with the designated
guardian redeemer and the elders.

- Both Naomi and Ruth were committed to each other’s well-being; Boaz too had a natural
inclination to kindness, compassion, care and great generosity. Boaz prays over Ruth that God would
remember her, praises her noble character, Proverbs 31 woman.

- Ruth did not pursue young men, was keen to follow her mother in laws direction

- The guardian redeemer designate rejected the offer to have Ruth in order to
preserve his estate (Ruth 4:6)

Ruth 4:11-14

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Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman
who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you
have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the LORD gives you by
this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

Ruth 4 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a
guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you
in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has
given him birth.”

4. Praise the Lord:

- The elders who were present prayed over the union between Boaz and Ruth
and that together they would rebuild Israel like Leah and Rachel did.
- The women praised the Lord with Naomi at the birth of her grandson, Obed.
Naomi’s painful life moment eventually end up in praise moments of nursing the
grandfather of the greatest king of Israel

NOTES:
1. Jesus says in John 5:39-44, the scriptures testify of him, in context therefore this is a redemption
story. The scriptures also record that he takes notice of us despite just being here for a season.
2. A painful story of a widow ends in praise and prayer by the people of good will and prosperity. The
people may not have fully understood the extent of their pronouncements but it is evident that God
was at work all along in these three lives for his own glory. There is firm evidence in the genealogy of
Christ in Mathew 1:. In the kingdom domain there are no coincidences, if there were to be these
would be too many.

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3. God is at work in our ordinary lives, he is mindful of us: Psalm 8:4-8. His purposes will be
accomplished when we make willful decisions.
4. Boaz is a type of Christ, he is wealthy , honorable , demonstrates a willingness to help, compassion,
generous , kindness, redemption of one who is in trouble. God sent his son to redeem us while we
were still sinners (Romans 5:8): Christ left his glory above (Phil 2:5-8) to redeem another estate
unlike the designated redeemer in this text.
5. After God created us , he gave us authority over the earth , Gen. 1:28 ; But we gave up this when we
accepted short term ‘glory’ in the garden of Eden , See Rom. 6:16 as Satan confirms in his
conversation with Jesus , Matt. 4:8.
6. The Lord Jesus redeemed us, sought us his treasure in the field Matt. 13:44. Because he loved us,
just like Boaz loved Ruth and provided a cover for her. He is consequently the only one with the
authority to open the scroll , Rev. 5:9
7. Just like Ruth who shows loyalty, a type of the church, upon realization we ought to commit to
follow the ways of God in order for our redemption to be assured. We have to be willing to sit at his
feet, a sign of submission (See Luke 10:38-42). Between our pain and the praise there is required
commitment.
8. God will never force us to love him, we have to willingly go to him, and he is always available for us.
9. The redemption of Ruth demonstrates Christ willingness to include foreigners into his redemption
plan for Israel, See Romans 11:17 (we are wild olive shoots grafted in to share in the nourishing sap
from the olive root).
10. Just like Naomi, we should choose to move towards the Lord and not stay in our foreign land (Moab)
and habits. The book begins with a story of tragedy and death, ends with a story of joy and birth.
11. We ought to fix our eyes on Christ who is able to perfect the things that concern us, Heb. 12:3.
12. The primary kinsman redeemer had his focus on the property he had now rather than what could
have been so he missed out?

Personal NOTES

1. God is always at work in my life;

2. God rewards commitment;
3. Stick to the house of bread;

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From Bethlehem to Moab is about 30 to 60 miles depending on the route taken ; 7
to 10 days walk because of the rugged terrain.

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What does it mean for Ruth to be said to be of noble character?

11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the
people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. (Ruth 3:11)

1. She has left her family traditions and her gods to follow the one true God.
Leaving her family meant leaving that which is familiar to her and their traditions
that had religious connotation. The lord honors those who honor Him?
2. She works hard to support her mother in law and herself | Barley Harvest took
two months and she stayed put.
3. She honors what he mother in law tells her and indeed her elders including Boaz
4. She pursues a bigger purpose rather than her own enjoyment

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