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.