This isn't the Ruth, the Naomi, or the Boaz we thought we knew. Carolyn
Custis James has unearthed startling new insights from this well-worn
story ... insights that have life-changing implications for you. Naomi
is no longer regarded as a bitter, complaining woman, but as a
courageous overcomer. A female Job. Ruth (typically admired for her
devotion to Naomi and her deference to Boaz) turns out to be a gutsy
risk-taker and a powerful agent for change among God's people. She lives
outside the box, and her love for Yahweh and Naomi compels her to break
the rules of social and religious convention at nearly every turn. Boaz,
the Kinsman Redeemer, is repeatedly caught off-guard by Ruth's
initiatives. His partnership with her models the kind of male/female
relationships that the gospel intends for all who follow Jesus. James
drills down deeper into the story where she uncovers in the Old
Testament the same passionate, counter-cultural, rule-breaking gospel
that Jesus modeled and taught his followers to pursue. Within this
age-old story is a map to radical levels of love and sacrifice, combined
with the message that God is counting on his daughters to build his
kingdom. The Gospel of Ruth vests every woman's life with kingdom
purposes and frees us to embrace wholeheartedly God's calling,
regardless of our circumstances or season of life. This story of two
women who have lost everything contains a profound message: God created
women not to live in the shadowy margins of men or of the past, but to
emerge as courageous activists for his kingdom.
