Ruth 4:7
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
In Ruth, we read about a man removing his shoe and giving it to his neighbor as a testimony in Israel. This act is tied to the concept of the kinsman redeemer, who had the responsibility to care for his brother’s widow.
In the story of Ruth, the kinsman redeemer was unwilling to marry Ruth, and the law provided a specific ritual for such a situation. Deuteronomy 25:7-10 describes how the widow would remove the man’s shoe and spit in his face, symbolizing his refusal to fulfill his duty.
This unusual command to remove a shoe holds significant meaning. A shoe is one half of a pair, designed to function together with its mate. When the kinsman redeemer refused to marry Ruth, he created two halves rather than one functioning unit. His daily walk with one shoe would illustrate the hardships caused by his failure to obey God’s word.
While the law of marrying a widow is not applicable today, the principle remains: we will suffer if we fail to do things God’s way. The separated pair of shoes symbolizes the damage done by disobedience and the importance of following God’s commands.