Alright, ladies, time to get real for 2 minutes and 26 seconds. That’s the length of the video I’m going to link below that you need to watch before you continue on with this article. I promise you it is worth your time and will make you think hard and laugh harder. A friend sent me this video sermon on relationships awhile back and I just can’t stop thinking about how true it is, and how I need to spread it so more women can hopefully get a chance to view it. It is possible that you have already seen the sermon (as it has over 1 million views), but it doesn’t hurt to watch again as it seems to hit home for me time and time again.
Before seeing this video, I had never heard of the story of Ruth and Boaz, so naturally I did more research. The book of Ruth largely focuses on the relationship between Ruth and Boaz. Ruth—a widowed woman—had come to Israel with her mother-in-law, who had also lost her husband. They continued to live together despite their losses, and Ruth worked hard to provide for both of them as she would go into the fields each day to gather food for the harvest. This is where Ruth met Boaz—as he was a landowner where Ruth came to find grain. Boaz knew of Ruth’s situation and told his workers to leave plenty of grain for her to find. In fact, the first time Boaz spotted Ruth in the fields he turned to his foreman and asked, “Whose young woman is that?” (Ruth 2:5) Of all the women he could have looked at or commented about, he singled out and chose to speak of the quiet and humble widowed woman working hard in the field.
Like Pastor Jentezen Franklin says to begin his sermon, “The Bible said Boaz was a handsome man, a rich man, a spiritual man, a sensitive man, and that equals a husband. You got to wait on your Boaz. Don’t just settle for anybody.” This statement alone speaks so much truth. I think often times many of us girls get so impatient and worked up about being lonely and not having our Boaz that we settle for less than God’s best. Sure, Boaz seems like the “perfect” partner with his long list of qualities, and perhaps it is a little unfair for women to be so picky in searching for a man like Boaz—who is in the lineage of Christ (yes, it’s true—Boaz is in lineage of Jesus). But I once saw a quote that described it perfectly, “Never apologize for having high standards, because those who really want to be in your life will rise up to meet them.”
The pastor then goes on to say that we shouldn’t freak out when we stay in on a Saturday night, or are in church when everyone else is in “da club”. I think we can all relate to this—especially as college students—since often times we feel so pressured to participate in these types of events. I know I can speak on behalf of many women when I say that I would rather meet my Boaz in church than in “da club” anyway.
We are then warned in the video that we have to have our guard up and watch out for those people who are going to try and tempt us. The pastor describes these people as Boaz’s “cousins”. This is the humorous part of the video as his cousins are all a name play on words of Boaz’s name, but with qualities that you wouldn’t want in a significant other.
Perhaps the last quote by Pastor Franklin was what I thought women (and even our generation, really) need to hear most. He says, “Quit dating anything on two legs. Let God take you through some loneliness; let God take you through the wilderness. So that when they come, you will be ready.” And that right there is what is so important to realize. You are waiting. You are waiting for the person that God so perfectly designed and made for you. For the person you are going to spend many, many years with. So ladies, I hope that if you have already found your Boaz you realize it and don’t let go. And for the waiting ladies out there, I hope God grants you the courage and the patience to continue to wait for him.
