Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.
(Ruth 2:1 ESV)
Here at the start of chapter 2, Boaz is introduced as a “worthy man” or “man of standing” (NIV). The Hebrew phrase includes the word gibor (גִּבּוֹר), pronounced ghee-BORE, which means “mighty” or “strong.” It’s a word often used for soldiers, warriors, and people of great power and influence.
When we hear the word “mighty,” most of us picture someone with a commanding presence. The loudest voice in the room. The one who takes charge and wins. Strength, in our world, tends to mean dominance.
But, when we meet Boaz, there’s no battlefield, no armor, no display of force. Just a man who walks into his field greeting his workers with, “The Lord be with you.” (Ruth 2:4). He notices a foreign widow working the edges of his property. He speaks to her kindly, makes sure she’s protected and provides far more than she came looking for.
That’s what gibor looks like here. This is not a man who uses his strength to dominate, but who uses it to protect. Not someone taking what he can get, but someone giving what he has.
Boaz has influence, resources, and authority. But none of it makes him harsh or distant. Instead, it makes him attentive, generous, and protective. That’s a different kind of strength. It’s the kind of strength that doesn’t need to prove itself. And maybe that’s what makes it so powerful.
That gives us something to think about. Because all of us, in some way or another, have a measure of strength, too. Maybe not Boaz’s wealth or social standing, but we have words. We have influence. Every day puts us in small fields of opportunity, places where we can either overlook or notice, withhold or give, protect or ignore.
The question isn’t whether we are strong. The question is what we do with it. Do we use it to control people or to provide for them? To keep people at a distance, or to draw near with kindness? Do people feel smaller around us, or do they feel safer?
The picture of gibor in Ruth invites us toward a different kind of strength. It may never make headlines. It might not win any medals. But it reflects the heart of God.
Again and again, Scripture shows us that God’s strength is revealed not just in power, but in compassion. Not just in might, but in mercy. Ultimately, we see it most clearly in Jesus — strength expressed through humility, service, and self-giving love.
And when that kind of strength begins to take shape in us, it becomes something more than ability. It becomes a blessing.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving us a better picture of what strength can look like. Teach me to use what I have, not to elevate myself, but to serve others. Make me attentive to the people around me, especially those who feel unseen or overlooked. Shape my heart so that my strength reflects your kindness and your care. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day