Following Faithful Counsel Is an Act of Faith

I almost tossed the brochure. My mom handed it to me in my last year of high school. It was for a gap year program built around outdoor adventure and biblical education. I was way more interested in the outdoor part, but I embraced it all.

In the end, that single year became a hinge point for almost everything that followed. My faith. My identity. I even met my wife, Nicole, there. I’m so glad I listened.

Ruth had a similar moment. Naomi handed her a plan, and everything hung on whether she’d follow it.

If you’d rather watch or listen, you can catch the full message on YouTube or on the LeadBiblically Podcast.

Following Faithful Counsel Means Stepping Into the Unknown

In Ruth 3:1, Naomi asks, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?”

She’s already lost her husband and both sons. Ruth is her only family. And yet, she crafts a risky plan and sends Ruth into the dark of night to lie at the feet of Boaz, a man she believes will act with honour.

The risks were real. There was the risk of humiliation, scandal, and flat-out rejection. Naomi couldn’t guarantee any of it would work. She was betting on the character of a man she’d observed from a distance.

Ruth steps out in faith. She follows the counsel of someone who loves her deeply, who has more life experience than she does, and who has something to lose if the plan goes sideways.

The People God Places in Your Life Are a Gift

We live in a world that has replaced mentors with algorithms. When we need direction, we scroll a feed or ask an AI. And yet, we have more access to wise, experienced people than almost any generation before us. We just don’t always stop long enough to listen.

There are people in your life right now who have seen how certain situations end. They know what regret looks like up close. And many of them care deeply about where you end up. When they speak, it’s worth slowing down.

Following faithful counsel is an act of faith. It’s trusting that God can speak through someone who loves you, even when you can’t see what they see.

When Faithfulness Points Us to the Redeemer

When Ruth lies at the feet of Boaz in the dark, she uses covenant language she likely learned from Naomi:

“Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” (Ruth 3:9)

Boaz responds with blessing, not shame. He says, “Do not fear. I will redeem you.” (Ruth 3:11-13)

That’s a picture of the gospel. We come to Jesus the same way Ruth came to Boaz. In the dark, with nothing to offer, in need of a Redeemer. He doesn’t turn us away. He covers us, calls us worthy, and says what Boaz said to Ruth: I will redeem you.

The best mentors and the wisest Naomis in our lives all point in the same direction. They work themselves out of the story and aim us toward Jesus.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Naomi sought rest for Ruth through Boaz. God has given us Jesus to secure eternal rest for our souls, the kind no mentor or parent could ever provide.

Following faithful counsel is an act of faith. Following Jesus is the defining act of faith.

Join the Conversation: Answer This Question

• Who has been the Naomi in your life, and is there faithful counsel from them you haven’t acted on yet?