Thoughts for the Day

Now Naomi had a kinsman.. whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, 'Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favour.' She said to her, 'Go, my daughter.' So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers....Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers. 'The Lord be with you.' They answered, 'The Lord bless you.' Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, 'To whom does this young woman belong?' The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, 'She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.' So she came, and she has been on her feet from early tis morning until now, without resting even for a moment.'

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...I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.' Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, 'Why have I found favour in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when 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 me... May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!'

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Naomi and Elimelech left Israel in a time of famine, now on returning his widow, Naomi, and her daughter-in-law, Ruth find that the area has not suffered. But Ruth and Naomi need to find food from somewhere. Boaz is a relative and a wealthy man, so Ruth goes to glean, or collect the grain that has been dropped, in his fields. Leviticus, Chapter 19, orders those who farm to leave such grain for the poor and for widows.

This beautiful little story shows us so many things - Ruth may know the ruling in Leviticus, but nevertheless she asks permission of the supervisor, and she works hard all day. Boaz is a man with a good relationship to his workers as we see from his blessing, and he welcomes this refugee (from a nation that has often been at war with Israel) to his fields. Having heard of her care for her mother-in-law he invites her to stay close to the women-workers who are gathering the corn together to make the sheaves, and he instructs his men not to disturb her.

In due course Ruth is to become Boaz's wife, and it is her grandson that will be Jesse. Through him will come King David, and eventually his descendant will be Jesus. God's plans involve all people in His world when they work with Him.

Heavenly Father,
may we not look at strangers with suspicion.
May we see treat them with respect,
knowing that Your plans may include them.
Make us humble and hard-working
and keen to help those in need
as Boaz and Ruth.
Amen.