Boaz's Waiting: A Model Men Should Follow

As this is love month - perhaps another topic that would be worth talking about is Boaz who was the son of Salmon and the former Canaanite harlot Rahab. What can be learned from Boaz? Many men today can't wait for their right women so they end up with the Delilahs of their wives instead. It may me too late to sing "Delilah" when the bad woman has done too much damage. So what was the big deal with Boaz? Boaz was simply a man who was doing what God had him to do. And his story with Ruth suggests that he was patiently waiting.

It can be suggested the fact that Boaz had no mention of a previous marriage that he was still single. The fact that the called the Moabite Ruth as "daughter" suggests there was possibly a huge age gap between them. Knowing that marriages in ancient times happened when girls were at least sixteen years old may suggest he could be in his 40s or perhaps 50s. Regardless, Boaz must have been a very patient man. Unlike the others who rushed to get a bride, he knew God had the perfect plan for his love life. God knows much better than men do so why rush so hastily?

So here's a bigger picture- God had already written Ruth for Boaz even before they met. Ruth was a Moabite widow who had abandoned her worship of false gods for the worship of Jehovah, the true and the living God. God had always prepared the plan of salvation for all and Ruth was another picture of God's redemption. As one knows, Ruth was a widow who was once lawfully married to Mahlon, a kinsman (perhaps a cousin) to Boaz. Boaz was going to become the kinsman redeemer and following God's will for his love life had fixed him with the beautiful Ruth.

Boaz as the story of Ruth progressed knew that God was in control. Perhaps he was always praying for the right girl and Ruth was the answer. And by remaining faithful to God, his patience paid off. The fact that Boaz quickly noticed Ruth may suggest she was a gorgeous lady whose appearance would reflect her even better heart. Think about the bonus Boaz got when he married Ruth. She may have been a "second hand" but she was still a virgin, and together they had a son named Obed who became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. All this pointed to the Messianic line.

And again, the best Valentine's Day message single or not is always John 3:16- the central verse of the Bible! Forget the worldly aspects, Christian bachelors should be like Boaz, asking God to guide them to the right girl.