Ruth 4:13-14, 16-17 (The Message) - 13 Boaz married Ruth. She became his wife. Boaz slept with her. By God's gracious gift she conceived and had a son. 14 The town women said to Naomi, "Blessed be God! He didn't leave you without family to carry on your life. May this baby grow up to be famous in Israel! 16 Naomi took the baby and held him in her arms, cuddling him, cooing over him, waiting on him hand and foot. 17 The neighborhood women started calling him "Naomi's baby boy!" But his real name was Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.

The World's Way

• Find the "PERFECT" one.
• FALL in love.
• EXPECT them to meet all of your needs: physically, emotionally, relationally, and responsibility wise.

God's Way

1. BECOME the right person, instead of FIND the right person.

• God's will for you is more about WHO YOU ARE than WHAT YOU DO.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NASB) - For this is the will of God, your sanctification.
• It starts with the DECISION to SEPARATE from the world's way.
• Make a DECISION to INVEST in yourself.

2. WALK in love, instead of FALL in love.

• Orpah kissed Naomi, but Ruth clung to Naomi.
• Ruth 1:14 (NLT) - And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.
• Walking IN love is the path TO love.

3. Follow WISDOM, instead of follow FEELINGS.

• There are so many opportunities to follow feelings in life; the better idea is to follow wisdom.
• Ruth chose LOYALTY instead of CONVENIENCE.
• Ruth chose HARD WORK instead of SEDUCTION.
• Ruth chose FAITHFULNESS instead of FLAKINESS.
• Ruth chose OBEDIENCE instead of IMPATIENCE.
• Ruth chose CHARACTER instead of COOL.

Extracted Truths

• The hand of the diligent will prosper.
  • Ruth 2:2 (NLT) - One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it." Naomi replied, "All right, my daughter, go ahead."
• She was in a harvest field.
  • Being about God's business is a great place to find the person you need to be with.
• God led her sovereignly.
  • Ruth 2:3 (NLT) - So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.