Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my
daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close
to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go
after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are
thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” Then she
fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found
favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”
But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the
death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father
and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know
before. The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given
you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take
refuge!” Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have
comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your
servants.”
(Ruth 2:8-13 ESV).
Our reading today gives us a wonderful image of how God’s care for us is so complete. Often, we see God going out of his way to care for us, and sometimes we see our need to go out of our way to be cared for. It’s not always easy to ask for what we need, especially when others might have reasons to be cautious about helping us. But Ruth is a bold person. She knows what she and her mother-in-law need, and she asks for permission to glean barley in a field that belongs to Boaz, a landowner from Bethlehem.
Now, Boaz is a relative of Ruth’s
mother-in-law Naomi, and he has heard about Ruth but hasn’t met her before. And
rather than being dismissive or indifferent, Boaz welcomes Ruth and invites her
to keep following along after the harvesters. What’s more, he blesses her for
supporting her mother-in-law and indicates that Ruth is an honorable woman.
“May you be richly rewarded by the Lord,” he says, “. . . under whose wings you
have come to take refuge.” This statement reflects the caring, providing nature
of God’s character, and it helps us to understand God’s love for us.
God faithfully cares for and provides
for us, and often he does this through the kindness and generosity of others.
And whether we need help or are able to help someone else, we can be assured
that God empowers and celebrates both the one who asks and the one who gives.
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