What does Ruth 4:6 teach about prioritizing family responsibilities over personal gain? The Scripture in Focus “Then the kinsman-redeemer replied, ‘I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.’” (Ruth 4:6) The Context: A Family in Need • Naomi has returned to Bethlehem destitute. • Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, has pledged loyalty and needs a covenant-protected future (Ruth 1:16-17). • Under God’s law, a close male relative could redeem land and raise up offspring for the deceased (Leviticus 25:25; Deuteronomy 25:5-6). • Boaz presents the nearer kinsman with this duty. The man initially agrees—until he realizes Ruth is part of the package. The Kinsman’s Dilemma: Liability vs. Legacy • He fears his “own inheritance” will be “jeopardize[d].” • Redeeming the land plus marrying Ruth would dilute his estate, divert resources to Ruth’s future son, and risk his name being overshadowed. • His calculation: personal wealth and legacy > covenant responsibility. • By stepping back, he publicly reveals that self-interest outranks family loyalty in his heart. Key Lesson: Love Puts Family First • Scripture spotlights his refusal so Boaz’s self-sacrifice shines brighter (Ruth 4:9-10). • God records both choices to teach that genuine covenant faith prizes family duty above financial security. • Related truth: – “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8) – “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4) • The nearer kinsman fades from the narrative—his name lost—while Boaz gains a place in Messiah’s lineage (Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:5-6). God honors those who honor family commitments. How This Principle Applies Today • Financial calculations must never override biblical obligations to spouse, children, parents, and extended kin. • Protecting personal assets at the expense of dependent relatives conflicts with God’s revealed will. • Stewardship may require costly sacrifices—time, energy, inheritance—to uphold a family member’s well-being. • When believers put family responsibilities first, they mirror Christ, our ultimate Redeemer, who “though He was rich…became poor for your sake” (2 Corinthians 8:9). |
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