Ruth meets Boaz. Girl meets boy. Oh, but it’s so much more than that.
My girl Ruth is doing what all the other poor and widowed are doing…gathering fallen grain. This was God’s provision for the poor and the homeless in the Old Testament. She could gather in any field she chose, but she somehow ended up in the field of Boaz. That was not fate, but the hand of God. Now, she has no idea the circumstances surrounding the field and Boaz…but God did.
You see, Boaz was a man of God. It was obvious in the text. He greeted the reapers in his field with, “The Lord be with you.” It says a lot about someone when the details of their everyday life…work, school, home…are completely revolved around honoring God. When he sees Ruth, she is working hard and he has gotten word that she is committed to care for her mother-in-law Naomi. He sees her humility. She asks for permission from the reapers to gather the fallen grain and Boaz knows this. She knows she is at the mercy of the landowner. Boaz sees how hard-working she is, too. She worked with only a small break in between gathering. I am sure that Boaz admires this from the standpoint of an employer.
But, it’s get better.
Boaz even approaches Ruth and shows her such kindness. All of his godliness and wealth is poured out upon her. She was so overwhelmed that she fell on her face, not understanding why she found favor with him. Boaz even brings her to his table to eat…so much that she has leftovers to take back to Naomi!
In this moment, I can’t say for certain that Boaz was “sweet” on Ruth, but I can say that the love and kindness he showed her is a foreshadowing to the love and kindness shown to us by Jesus, our Savior!
God took us as foreigners, lost in the world of sin and when we come humbly to Him, we are brought up to the table to sup with Him! When we seek refuge under the wings of God (Ruth 2:12), He is faithful to make sure we are always where we need to be! The providence of God had Ruth exactly where she needed to be…from gathering leftovers in the field to being seated at the table with her kinsmen redeemer.
Jesus is our Redeemer, friend. You have a place at His table. He has shown you kindness over and over again. Don’t pass up the opportunity to thank God today for His providence, His mercy and His grace. God’s wealth and godliness has been poured upon you if you are a believer. Pass it on to someone today.
The book of Ruth just keeps getting better and better.! Stay tuned…
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