What is the measure of a man? What is it that makes men ‘real’ men? How would you describe a ‘worthy’ man? These are important questions to answer especially since our culture has been ruthlessly attacking masculinity; these days many people aren’t really sure what it means to be a man. Jerry Seinfeld, in an interview with journalist Bari Weiss, described a real man this way: “He knows how to dress. He knows how to talk. He’s charming. He has stories. He’s comfortable at dinner parties, and knows how to get a drink.” It’s clear Seinfeld is harking back to what manhood looked like at an earlier time in American culture, to a time when people thought of a real man as one who leads and takes charge. Christian author, Brian Tome, has described real manhood in contrast to boyhood with five marks: 1. A boy lives day to day; a man has a vision for his life. 2. A boy wants to be MVP; a man is a team player. 3. A boy plays; a man works. 4. A boy wants the reassurance of the crowd; a man has the courage to take a minority position. 5. A boy is a predator; a man is a protector. Tome also emphasizes that boys don’t magically become men when they turn eighteen; they become men by how they live. Consequently it is possible to be physically aged, yet still a boy in one’s character. These are important ideas to wrestle not only when you consider the tremendous confusion in our society but also when you read the story of Ruth, because in chapter two we are introduced to a ‘real’ man: “Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.” What does it mean that Boaz was a ‘worthy’ man? This word ‘worthy’ is key in the story, as it is used to describe both Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 3:11; cf. also Proverbs 31:10 where the same word is translated “excellent”), and it is also used of the elders in speaking to Boaz in 4:11, “May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem.” Clearly, to live in such a way that you can be described with the word ‘worthy’ is a significant theme in the narrative. In this morning’s sermon we will explore what this means with the goal of living worthily ourselves!