Yesterday I posted that character leads us to make commitments that are fulfilled in the simple, ordinary acts of everyday faithfulness. Doing little things with no expectation of anything in return, acknowledging each other’s kindnesses, accepting your spouse for who he or she is, and seeking to meet your mate’s needs rather than demanding your own needs be met are some examples of such behavior.
What’s important to note from the story of Ruth is that God used her faithfulness to extraordinary proportions. In preparation for this sermon Lisa observed, “The ordinary becomes extraordinary if you do the day to day things with faithfulness.”
Ruth doesn’t know or have any way of knowing how her story will end or the legacy she will leave. As the story goes, she and Boaz marry and have kids. She would become through that union the great grand mother of King David and serve the lineage of Jesus Christ himself. In fact, Ruth is one of five women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 1:5).
Marriages are not built on great purchases or outstanding vacations. They aren’t developed by purchases or experiences. To say it another way, they aren’t won by the 60 yard touchdown pass. They’re built on the “three yard and a cloud of dust.” Sure, there are times when you’ll catch wind in your sails and feel effortless. But the honest reality is that marital success comes by consistently doing the small things well.
