Sex and Money: The Story of Ruth
This series has become a staple for us, and rightly so. Sex and money is our annual attempt to talk about the issues that challenge and puzzle us most. And we won’t be done any time soon.
We realize that while the Bible has plenty to say on these topics, easy moralism doesn’t work. What we need is a greater depth of insight, to see sex and money as gifts of God, but also as renegade powers; as things that bless our lives, but also as things that can bring us pain and loss when we fail to understand them well. We need reasons, not just rules.
This year though, we are changing things up by using this series to trace the story of Ruth. Gender imbalance, poverty and social concerns, and ultimately sex and love find their way into this tale and as we talk candidly about sex and money, we will see once again how grounded and practical Christian faith is.
Unnamed - Jeremy Duncan
The writer of Ruth shows us how Ruth becomes unnamed in her culture after she loses her identity as a mother and wife. We do this is in all kinds of way too, often economically, devaluing those who do not “earn” or ‘contribute” enough.
The Problem witH Rules - Jeremy Duncan
In Boaz we see the difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law when it comes to caring for the poor. He goes above and beyond what’s required because he takes the time to learn Ruth’s story. He internalizes her situation and acts of out generosity not obligation.
The Sexy Stuff - Jeremy Duncan
The Risky Part - Jeremy Duncan
This unnamed guardian-redeemer doesn’t want to marry Ruth because of the risk to his wealth and estate. However, the simple fact is that love, be it’s very nature is always a risk. Whether you are Ruth, or Boaz, or this unnamed relative, or even if you are the source of all that is in the universe, to love is to hand a piece of your heart to someone and then wait to see what they will do with it.