Character Impact

Character Impact

I was reading in the Book of Ruth the other day and got to chapter 2:10-12, which says, “Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. ‘What have I done to deserve such kindness?’ she asked. ‘I am only a foreigner.’

‘Yes, I know,’ Boaz replied. ‘But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.’”

I read over this a few times because Ruth doesn’t seem to think anything of what she is doing other than taking care of her mother-in-law and herself.

If you read this book, you will see that Ruth may not have followed God prior to leaving her home and going with Naomi, but once she committed to Naomi, she committed to her God as well.

Regardless of whether Ruth was aware of the good character she was displaying, she simply did what she knew she had to do. They had no husbands to provide for them, so she went out and did what she could to provide for their needs.

We are like that for the most part. Things have to get done, so we do what we have to do, not thinking anything of it or wondering if anyone is paying attention.

But read the Scripture again. Boaz said that he knew about everything she had done and had heard how she left the comfort of her home.

He didn’t know her personally, and she didn’t know him, yet her character preceded her. He quickly became aware of who she was.

She didn’t know who he was until Naomi asked whose field Ruth had gone to work in. It turns out that Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s family, and he invited Ruth to continue working in his field and collect all she needed. She received what she needed and more.

When we follow God’s lead, He will send us where we need to be. He will provide for our needs exactly as He knows we need them.

Our character—how we carry ourselves and deal with things—is seen far beyond anything else. When you leave a conversation, people may not remember exactly what you said, but they will remember whether they felt comfortable with you.

When we read about Jesus’ journey here on earth, we often see how His character and actions preceded Him. People flocked to Him everywhere He went.

Jesus faced a lot, but no matter what He faced, He stopped and cared for people. He talked with them. He saw them as they were.

Romans 5:4 says, “And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”

Christ endured, and we will as well.

Ruth endured pain, heartache, and grief, and through it, she was strengthened and able to take care of Naomi.

Think about a time in your life when you went through something difficult, learned a lot, and developed character through strength and perseverance.

I remember every season when someone was removed from my life, either because of circumstances or death. Those seasons were seasons of grief, but they were also seasons of growth. We don’t always know what we are capable of until we face those seasons. We see and learn a lot about our character during those times. We learn what we need to change and begin to see ourselves through God’s eyes. He comes alongside His children and helps them.

Ruth is a good example of growth and strength during a season of hardship. God saw her, and He took care of her. He gave her all that she needed to provide for herself and Naomi.

He will and does the same for us.

We may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s okay. Don’t focus on that. Instead, know that God knows who will help sharpen us and who we can help sharpen as well.

Live a life following the Lord. Know that no matter what season you are in, your character is growing because Jesus is leading you to become more like Him. He will strengthen you and uphold you with His righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 8:2 says, “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.”

We may feel like we are in a wilderness with no way out, like everything that can go wrong has gone wrong and that feeling of hopelessness will never go away. But rest assured that you are not broken; you are growing. You’re not lost. God has you where you need to be, and you are NOT alone—God is with you.

He is working to build character within you that will make an impact for His Kingdom.

Be diligent and keep moving forward.