‘Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.” The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.”’ (vv. 5-6)

However it is that you talk about the Gospel…

…don’t forget to talk about it this way.

When the apostle Paul—by the Spirit—unfolds the truth of Christ’s substitutionary atonement, he includes this detail: “For rarely will someone die for a just person — though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8). We all come to the Redeemer with a problem, namely that we are ultimate outsiders. Only the One who would risk His own reputation to rescue ours could save us.

We get a glimpse of that in Ruth’s Boaz. Others wouldn’t lower themselves to lift her up. The cost was too great—not just monetarily, but reputationally. Only the one who would risk his own reputation to rescue hers could do it.

So, when we talk about the Gospel, keep this kind of grace in view. And see it as the thread that runs all the way through Scripture. It will inspire the gratitude of outsiders every time you do.

— Tyler