Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we’re working our way through the book of Ruth, I’m reading. I’ve read a few introductions in some Old Testament overviews, I’m reading a handful of commentaries as we go, and I’m also reading a few popular books on the book of Ruth. In particular, I’m reading Sinclair Ferguson’s Faithful God, and I’m also reading Paul Miller’s A Loving Life, I happily commend these two volumes to you.

I bring these books up because Miller’s book brought out something for me that I’ve been thinking about as I’ve been reading Ruth. While it is not central, it is significant that one facet of the story of Ruth is that she is an outsider who is brought in by the grace and mercy of God. She is an outsider in terms of religion, culture, and land. She is in every respect a foreigner (Ruth 2:10). She is brought in to the covenant community (the Old Testament people of God) by her conversion and confession of faith in the one true God, but there is more. She also makes an effort to enter into the covenant community, and she does so through love.

What is so striking about Ruth’s entrance is that she does not enter in and demand to be loved (she doesn’t say a word as she enters Bethlehem in 1:22), nor she go looking for love (Boaz mentions this in 3:10). Instead she gives herself to loving one who is needy in the covenant community (Naomi).

I wonder if we should think about this as we prepare to gather with the Lord’s people this coming Lord’s Day. Instead of looking to be loved, what if we looked for ways to love? Here is what Paul Miller had to say on the subject:

“The biggest problem people have in searching for the perfect community is just that. You don’t find community; you create it through love. Look how this transforms the way you enter a room of strangers. Our instinctive thought is this, ‘Who do I know? Who am I comfortable with?’ there’s nothing wrong with those questions, but the Jesus questions that create communities are, ‘Who can I love? Who is left out?’ Instinctively we hunt for a church or community that makes us feel good. It is good to be in a place where you are welcome, but making that quest central is idolatry. And like all idolatry, it ultimately disappoints. But if we pursue love, then, wherever we go, we create community.” -- Paul Miller, A Loving Life, p.100

I wonder if you’ve ever been disappointed when we gather as a church. Who hasn’t been? Let’s set our disappointments aside and reflect honestly for a moment. Are we asking the right questions? Having first been loved by the Father, Son, and Spirit, are we asking, “who can I love and serve?” Would our disappointment dissolve? Would our church be transformed?

Now, perhaps in your moment of honesty, you can honestly say, “I have loved, but my love hasn’t been well-received.” That’s certainly a possibility. Perhaps even a likelihood in this fallen world. But can I ask you another question? Are you willing to keep on loving? Aren’t you glad that Jesus kept on loving even when his love wasn’t well received? Aren’t you glad he kept on loving even to the point of death?

If we loved and kept on loving not with the reception of our love in view, but with the hopes of revealing the Lord’s love, do you think we would be a bit more like Ruth? Better yet, would we be a bit more like Jesus? I think we would. I pray that we would love and keep on loving because he first loved us and keeps on loving us.

Warmly in Christ,
Mike