A Prayer about Pleasing God During Diplomatic Negotiations

A Prayer

Dear God,

As I continue to reflect on the book of Ruth, I thank you for Boaz’s example of faithful and diplomatic negotiations. You are a God that delights honorable behavior and as Boaz makes his choice in a wife, he finds himself in a position where he might step on toes if he rushes forward and insists on marrying Ruth under kinsman-redeemer principles. Looking at how Boaz sets the scene for the conversation with the kinsman-redeemer with a higher claim, I ask that you will help me learn lessons from this story.

In life, there are always going to be things that I desire; the question is whether these things are good for me or not. In Boaz’s case, he felt a responsibility towards the care of Ruth and Naomi, saw that Ruth was a woman of noble character, and humbly seized the opportunity to marry Ruth when it presented itself. As Boaz determined whether or not it was your will to marry Ruth, he found a way to present his case that would reveal whether the other man only wanted act as a kinsman-redeemer for selfish, land-grabbing reasons or whether the other man saw true value in Ruth. As it turns out, this other man did not see the Ruth for her amazing character and decided to pass on the land if it meant also marrying Ruth. Boaz was then able to say yes to marriage to Ruth with a clear conscience.

As I seek things in my own life, help me to determine if I am only seeking them for selfish reasons, or if I am seeking them because they are good for me. Help me to repent when my motivations are selfish, and say yes when my motivations are pure. Give me boldness to pursue things that will bring glory to you. As I negotiate for the privilege of gaining these things, show me the actions I should take and the words I should use. If I need to plan ahead, help me to plan. If I need to act quickly, put the correct words in my mouth.

Boaz took a risk by marrying a foreign woman who was likely new to Judaism, but in the end, she proved to be a strong and faithful wife that brought honor to the line of Jesus. I ask that you will help me to also be a strong and faithful wife that will pass great faithfulness to my children and grandchildren.

I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

Respond

If desired, please say your own prayer about how you can handle situations that require Godly diplomacy. If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.

As you consider the theme of pleasing God during diplomatic negotiations, are there any Bible verses that came to mind? If so, add a comment at the end of this post!