You’re Not Invisible to God|12.14.25|Misfit Christmas pt3

When I was growing up, we moved around a lot. Which means that I was often the outsider, whether that was at the new school, the new church, the new neighborhood, I was the outsider who was showing up and hanging around the edges.

I wasn’t a misfit like the ones we’ve been talking about these past few weeks: the obvious misfits who are messy, or broken, or clearly not like any of the other people around.

Maybe you’ve felt like an obvious misfit like that before, but I’m talking about the misfit that you don’t notice. The one that slips right past us.

The quiet, overlooked one who is standing in the corner of the room, wondering if anyone sees them.

The misfit who feels invisible.

I’ve been that one before. On the edge, on the outside, not sure how to break IN or whether I even want to. But I’ve found that God has this habit… He keeps showing up at the edges of the room.

He keeps showing up WITH the outsiders, the overlooked, the ones carrying quiet grief. The ones who feel like the odd one out in God’s family.

[Scripture Ref]

That’s where we find Ruth. And honestly, that’s where God finds a lot of US. So open your Bibles with me to the book of Ruth (p???). As you’re finding it, I want to remind you that we’ve been spending these last few weeks with the image of the Island of Misfit Toys from the classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie.

And we’ve discovered that the theme of being a misfit isn’t just something relevant for a children’s story about discarded toys… it’s actually an image that is all over the Bible. And it’s usually where we find some of the best examples of the good news… the gospel of Jesus who comes to find the people who are lost.

Because we keep seeing again and again that God chooses to move TOWARD the people that the world usually overlooks:

Rahab showed us that God welcomes misfits with a messy past.

Elijah showed us that God restores and draws close to misfits who feel like their time has passed.

And today, Ruth is going to show us that God doesn’t just work redemption FOR outsiders, he loves to work THROUGH them!

As we read through this whole story together, we’re going to see that this isn’t just a love story, it’s a story of redemption and belonging. And it’s a story about YOU and the God who welcomes you. Because God’s redemption works through relationships.

[Ruth 1:1]

When we first open the book of Ruth, we’re introduced to an Israelite family who leaves Bethlehem and moves to the neighboring kingdom of Moab because of a famine in the land.

The dad ends up dying, leaving his wife and two sons. The sons marry local Moabite women, and then ten years pass and somehow the sons die.

[Ruth 1:8-9]

The matriarch, Naomi hears that the famine has ended in Israel, so she decides to return home. But she relieves her daughters-in-law of any responsibility they have to her. There’s no point for them to remain with her, because she’s destined to remain a childless widow.

In that period in human history, your retirement plan was your kids. And once they gave you grandchildren, you earned your keep by helping raise the grandbabies.

But with no husband to care for her, and no sons to take over the responsibility from their father, Naomi was destined to be alone, and so she chose to return back to her people, where she could be homeless and hopefully have some folks treat her with kindness until she died.

And even though the two daughters-in-law protest, Naomi shuts them down, “There’s no reason that you have the same fate as me. Go home to your parents, because maybe you can marry again and then have children and then have a life and a future secured.”

[Ruth 1:14]

One of the daughters-in-law agrees and goes back to her father’s family. But Ruth CLINGS to her. Naomi doesn’t understand, and tells her to go back home just like her sister-in-law decided to do. But Ruth gives a beautiful declaration of loyalty and faith:

[Ruth 1:16]

'But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you, to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God my God.

Ruth chose to STAY WITH Naomi. And it’s clearly not because it’s the better choice for Ruth necessarily. She’s giving up her home, her family, her people, her customs. All to show Naomi that she’s not alone like she thought.

[Ruth 1:22]

And so chapter one ends with them traveling back to Bethlehem, and it’s the start of harvest. The rumors that the famine was over were true. Maybe there is hope after all…

[Ruth 2:1]

So chapter two introduces us to our third character, Boaz. He’s described as a “prominent rich man,” so we know that he’s capable, respected, established in the community.

But I want to remind you something that we learned two weeks ago when we looked at the story of Rahab, the foreigner prostitute who was rescued by God from Jericho and adopted into the family of God.

Remember, we learned that she married an Israelite and ended up having a son, who was named BOAZ. And now we meet this son of the misfit with the messy past and we get to see that he’s made a name for himself and become successful!

But there’s something else I want to point out about Boaz, even though he’s an older gentleman, there’s no mention in this entire book of a wife or any children. Part of me wonders if other families hesitated to intermarry with someone who’s mother was a foreigner, let alone a former sex worker…?

The text doesn’t say, but that’s just my hunch. Whatever the reason, he’s older and unmarried: a definite misfit himself. Let’s keep reading…

[Ruth 2:2-3]

'And Ruth said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain behind someone in whose sight I may find favor.” She said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz…

Remember, Ruth and Naomi have NOTHING. So Ruth offers to go do manual labor, gleaning the scattered leftovers during harvest, so they would at least have some grain to eat.

AS IT HAPPENED… Yeah, right! More like, “according to the divine providence of God…” Ruth HAPPENS to start gleaning in Boaz’s field.

[Ruth 2:4]

“Just then, Boaz arrives…” and he gets the update from his foreman on who Ruth is, because he didn’t recognize her. He learns who she is, and hears all about her strong work ethic that day.

And so he connects the dots that this is the foreigner who has shown incredible love and loyalty to his distant relative, Naomi.

[Ruth 2:8-9]

'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. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” '

Boaz goes right up to her, doesn’t treat her like a beggar or a moocher, but treats her like a regular person worthy of dignity. Not only that, but he tells her that she should just stay at his field. She won’t overstay her welcome. She doesn’t need to make the rounds of all the fields. Stay at his field, because he’ll ensure her safety and abundance.

[Ruth 2:10]

Ruth is amazed and shocked at his kindness, and she wonders why he would show such kindness to her, especially since she’s a foreigner. (Now, remember, she doesn’t know he’s half-Jewish with a foreign mother.)

In response, Boaz declares that her acts of loyalty and commitment towards Naomi have inspired him. And then he connects her character to God’s character: the God who provides refuge to the outsider under his wings.

[Ruth 2:14-16]

' At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some of this bread and dip your morsel in the sour wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, “Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.” '

So after Boaz has pretty much given her a free pass to stick around his property as much as she wants, he even invites her to lunch with him and the rest of the workers. That was unheard of for a foreign, widowed WOMAN.

Not only does he give her abundant food, with a leftover baggy, then he tells his harvesters to do an intentionally bad job and leave behind some full stalks for her to glean. God’s redemption at work through relationships again!

Ruth ends up with a huge bag of grain, something like 40 liters or 9 gallons (in just one day), and brings it home to Naomi, who is, understandably, BLOWN AWAY by the haul.

Then Ruth tells Naomi everything that happened and all about the kind owner of the field, Boaz.

[Ruth 2:20]

And that’s when it clicks for Naomi, because she knows who Boaz is! He’s a distant family member of her late husband. And Naomi just KNOWS that the kindness shown that day was a sign that “the Lord has not stopped showing kindness to the living and the dead.”

Naomi thought she was alone. But God was working through these small moments to speak to her: she was not forgotten, she was not forsaken.

Both Ruth and Naomi rejoice together that God has provided for them, and Ruth sticks with the situation at Boaz’s fields through the rest of harvest for the next four months.

[Ruth 3:1-2]

When harvest is over, Naomi shifts into a maternal, protective role with Ruth, and she has a plan to give Ruth security and a future with a home and stability. So she tells Ruth to go to Boaz that evening, because he’s their kinsman-redeemer.

If you’ve never heard of the concept of the kinsman-redeemer, it’s an old law that was outlined for the people of Israel way back in the book of Leviticus, when God was working through Moses to help set up Jewish society for when they went into the promised land. They had spent 400 years as slaves in Egypt, and so he was helping to create systems and structures to ensure that when they lived in their own communities, as the people of God… that they would be a beacon for the rescuing love that God demonstrates.

And one of the things that God set up was the concept of: ‘what happens when a man dies and leaves a widow with no kids? Who will take care of her? How will his family line remain?’

Because God doesn’t discard anyone. He doesn’t forget anyone. He doesn’t allow boundaries to be built that keep people out from his love. He’s a redeeming God who seeks out the lost and forgotten and overlooked, and brings them back into his family with full status.

So when there is a widow, the kinsman-redeemer law instructed the next closest family member to buy their land and marry the widow and have kids with her. But those kids will keep the family line of the dead husband alive. Truly, new life out of death!

This ensured that no widow or starving relative or family line is left without hope.

See, Naomi knew about this, but she also knew that she was too old to have any more kids, so she figured that no kinsman-redeemer would choose her. But Ruth is young enough yet to still marry so that she doesn’t have to spend the rest of her life without the security of a family…

…and Ruth has apparently been shown extreme kindness by their kinsman, Boaz.

…AND Ruth is the only surviving widow of their family line who is still in child-bearing age. So she goes into matchmaker mode and gives this whole detailed plan for how Ruth is supposed to approach Boaz.

Because Boaz has been acting as a protector to Ruth, but it’s not like there had been any romantic advances. So Naomi is like, “girl, you’ve got to make the first move!”

[Ruth 3:6-10]

'So [Ruth] went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk and was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet and lay down. At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.” He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord , my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. '

Boaz is amazed that Ruth chose him. You can just hear it in the way he speaks to her. And as we keep reading, we see that Boaz is delighted to redeem her, but there’s a catch… a different distant family member is actually the next-of-kin. Someone else is one step closer in the line and is supposed to have the first opportunity to redeem.

Boaz, who is a man of integrity, has to go through the proper processes, but he promises Ruth that he will redeem her if he can.

[Ruth 3:14-18]

'So she lay at his feet until morning but got up before one person could recognize another, for he said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” Then he said, “Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her back; then he went into the town. She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “How did things go with you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, saying, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ” She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”'

[Ruth 4:1-4]

' No sooner had Boaz gone up to the gate and sat down there than the next-of-kin of whom Boaz had spoken came passing by. So Boaz said, “Come over; sit down here.” And he went over and sat down. Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the town and said, “Sit down here,” so they sat down. He then said to the next-of-kin, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech. So I thought I would tell you of it and say: Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, so that I may know; for there is no one prior to you to redeem it, and I come after you.” So he said, “I will redeem it.” '

Oh no! Boaz was a man of action, did all the right things, went straight to town, and OF COURSE God orchestrated it so that the right guy just HAPPENED to be going to town early as well, Boaz called over the guy, and told him about the fact that Naomi’s family land was for sale. Because apparently, the other next-of-kin didn’t even know about it.

And any farmer in the Sauk Valley gets this: land is gold. Of course he says yes. So what’s Boaz going to do?! Keep reading…

[Ruth 4:5-6]

'Then Boaz said, “The day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you are also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead man, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.” At this, the next-of-kin said, “I cannot redeem it for myself without damaging my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” '

So the other guy agreed to buy the land…until he found out that Ruth is part of the redemption package, and so he backs out.

And so Boaz is now free to go through with the redemption himself. So he does so publicly…

[Ruth 4:9-12]

'Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to [his sons] Chilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance, in order that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his kindred and from the gate of his native place; today you are witnesses.” Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem; and, through the children that the Lord will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.” '

Four chapters ago, we met Ruth and Naomi in the worst situation of their lives: both widowed, living far from family, no future or security, and the only option to travel back to their hometown and beg for mercy. Naomi even says that it would be merciful for the Lord to let her die.

And Ruth, who lost her husband before they even got to start a family together, travels far away from her home and her family and her community, gets to work picking up the scraps along the edges of the field, mind set on trying to provide for her mother-in-law Naomi while remaining the invisible outsider… the one that’s not from here… the misfit no one notices.

But God doesn’t discard anyone. God’s love doesn’t forget ANYONE. And God’s redemption works through RELATIONSHIPS.

And so, not only did God work through Boaz to redeem Ruth and bring her into the family of God, but we’ve been watching him work THROUGH RUTH this whole time!

God worked through Ruth’s loyalty and love toward Naomi to show her that she is not alone. What a beautiful mother-in-law / daughter-in-law relationship we get to see here!

And God worked through Ruth’s openness and love towards Boaz to show him that he’s not the neglected half-Jew who will never have a place in this community. No, God worked to rescue his mother Rahab and adopt her fully into the family of God, and God orchestrates this process where Boaz gets to act as a kinsman-redeemer, a sacred and servant-hearted role in Jewish society.

So he secures Ruth’s and Naomi’s futures AND he demonstrates that he is an INTEGRAL part of the community. And so all the elders and the townspeople see him and respect him and BLESS him, asking God to bring children and a family line through him that blesses the whole town.

And we’re not even done with the book yet!

[Ruth 4:13-17]

' So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord , who has not left you this day without next-of-kin, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David. '

Boaz marries Ruth, and God gives another miracle, the miracle of life… a son. And the community comes around her and Naomi and praises God that he hasn’t forgotten either of them.

Naomi, whose husband had died, and whose sons had died. God has not left her alone, but has filled her arms with a grandbaby.

And the women declare that Ruth, the outsider, the foreigner, the invisible one… she’s better than seven sons! And then we find out that the boy born to Boaz and Ruth is named Obed, who later became the father of Jesse, who later became the father of King David. God’s redemption at work through relationships again!

You see, God didn’t just rescue Ruth. He worked THROUGH Ruth to reach Naomi, to reach Boaz, to reach the whole nation of Israel, and…because we know who comes later in King David’s line… God worked through Ruth to reach the whole world when he sent his son Jesus to be born in the family line of David, which includes the invisible misfit Ruth.

[God’s Redemption]

This story shows us that God’s redemption works through relationships. And if you’ve ever felt like Ruth: an outsider, a widow, a misfit… this story brings hope to YOU.

Because God pursued Ruth by having Naomi’s family move to her community. And God provided for her through the relationship and kindness of Boaz. And God welcomed her into the family of God through the actions of the community working through the kinsman-redeemer system.

But God doesn’t just welcome outsiders… he works THROUGH them to reach even more!

Because God worked through Ruth. Her simple acts of loyalty: staying, gleaning, responding to kindness… those became the opening through which God brought generations of redemption to Israel and the whole world.

And if God could work through her… don’t you see that he can work through YOU to reach the Sauk Valley?!

The people we live by, the ones we see out and about in the community, the ones we work with… Maybe they’re not ‘just acquaintances,’ or ‘just coworkers,’ or ‘just neighbors’… Maybe God is setting up divine appointments.

Because redemption flows through relationships!

[Notice]

And so a simple next step for us this week is to notice your Ruth. This week, I want to encourage you to ask God to show you the person who is already leaning toward you. Ask God to show you the one on the margins of your life.

Ask God to show you the one who feels alone like Naomi, the one who feels disqualified like Boaz, the one who needs a simple act of love.

This isn’t about earning God’s love or proving anything to Him, because you already have His love. This is simply joining Jesus in what He’s already doing.

Your ‘Ruth’ might actually be your One this Christmas: the person far from God but close to you that God wants to reach through you. Who is God putting on your heart right now?

Because once we hear from God, we take one small relational step:

Share a meal with them. Send them a message. Give them your listening ear.

Maybe drop off Christmas cookies.

Maybe give them an invitation to sit with you for Christmas Eve service.

Maybe offer to give them a ride!

Any small relational connection that shows them, “Hey, you matter.”

Because small acts of love carry eternal weight when God is in them. And God works his redemption through relationships.

[END]

The story of Ruth shows us a God who doesn’t draw boundaries to keep people out… he breaks open boundaries to beckon people IN.

We see a God who seeks the outsider, welcomes the misfit, restores the hurting.

We are reminded that God doesn’t stay distant, but he draws CLOSE, because Jesus is the TRUE REDEEMER who came into the world through Ruth’s line.

Jesus is the One who spreads HIS garment over us, taking us into his family.

Jesus is the One who gives us a home, a future, a name and a place.

Jesus is the One who now works IN us and THROUGH us to reach others.

If you feel like an outsider, God is pursuing you.

If you feel unqualified, God DELIGHTS to work through you.

If you feel small and invisible… God’s redemption LOVES to start small, like a candle in the night, pushing back the darkness and bringing hope to all who need it.

Isn’t that good news?