Having a heart...that is what I think gives Life meaning. Here in Ruth, you read an example of that.
I think it is important to set your desires in the right place....Ruth's selfless love for Naomi...even leaving her own family to do so.
Sometimes in life it is important to make quality decisions...even among our own "blood". When we face rejection, verbal abuse, or even worse...physical abuse... it is better to "love from a distance".
Life is just too short...and we do "pour ourselves" into the lives of others, particularly our own relatives. Yet, I think there needs to be some sort of comradery there...a respect...an openness where both "parties"to help each other. Otherwise, people can bring our lives down...manipulate us, affect our self-worth or self-esteem, and even our value in the "eyes of the Lord."
It doesn't mean we love others any less...we just have be aware there are those...even among our own...that are not out for the "good of another"...their only thought...is on themselves.
Ruth left her own family...her Mom...her Dad...perhaps brothers and sisters...and chose to help and give her life to Naomi...who had received some "hard blows from the God she served " as Naomi had put it...to the point where Naomi (meaning Pleasant) was wanting to change her name to Mara (meaning Bitter)
but Ruth perceived the heart of Naomi...and the heart of the God Naomi served....in a different matter....
A Gleaning of Ruth, Chapter 2
" As Ruth and Naomi began to settle down in the Bethlehem area, it so happened Naomi had a relative through marriage whose name was...Boaz. Like Elimilech, Boaz was a wealthy and influential man in the local community. In those days, owning land that belonged to family, taking care of those within the family, and being of aid to those who had faced various tragedies within their own families, were notable values and standards people of the Bethlehem community adhered to and believed in.
One day Ruth spoke to Naomi and said: " Allow me to go work...I will go out to the harvest fields and gather up stalks of grain left behind by the men working the harvest...and perhaps find favor in the eyes of the person who might own such fields?"
Naomi thought it to be a good idea and replied to Ruth: " Ok, go ahead my daughter...for you are young, and we can certainly make use of the grain you collect. ( It was a custom in those days for those in need of food (like the poor) to be allowed to pick up stalks of grain left in the field after the harvest workers had come through a field. This was commonly known as "Gleaning".
Without hesitation, Ruth went and began to "glean" a field, following after the harvest workers who had just finished gathering the grains of a particular field.
As it turned out, Ruth had chosen a field that was owned by Boaz, the relative of her father-n-law Elimelech.
Boaz himself had arrived at the field where Ruth was gleaning one of his fields, for Boaz had come to greet and visit the harvesters of his field. Boaz announces to his workers and servants: " The Lord bless and be with you!", and his workers responded: "the Lord bless you Boaz!"
Then, as Boaz was overseeing the work that had been done in this field, he took notice of Ruth who was hard at work gleaning. Boaz motioned for his foreman, and when the foreman arrived with Boaz, Boaz asked him: " Who is that woman gleaning in the field?" The foreman replied: " Oh, she is the girl that came back with Naomi..from Moab...she is Moabite herself. She had approached me earlier and asked permission to be allowed to glean this field we just harvested. I got to tell you Boaz, this girl can work! She started early this morning and has been at it all day...I think I have seen her take only one small break the entire morning!"
Boaz appreciated the mannerisms of Ruth...and went directly to her. He spoke to her and said: "Listen my daughter, don't go to other fields to glean...I have more than enough fields for you to glean through the entire harvest. You stay right here in our fields...working with the other women here, and wherever they go...you follow them! I have already spoken with all the men working for me...you don't have to be concerned about them bothering you or laying a hand on you. Oh, and when you get thirsty...go right over there to those water buckets...get your water from there...the men have brought that water from my wells."
Ruth then bowed to the ground before Boaz, thanked him and spoke:"What have I done to deserve such kindness? I am not even from here...I am Moabite."
Boaz then replied: " I've heard about you...actually quite a story about you! I understand you have treated Naomi well...even after the death of her dear husband Elimilech, and I also have heard you have suffered loss as well, losing your own husband. Yet, you have remained faithful to Naomi...going as far as to leave your own family in Moab, and come to this area that is full of strangers to you...all because of your love for Naomi and the God she serves. This God we serve richly rewards people with hearts like yours...and has blessed you already...for you have found protection "under His wings"!
Ruth then replied to Boaz: " I am so honored for your kind words to me...you have made me feel so welcome..especially knowing I am a Moabite!'
As mealtime approached, Boaz called to Ruth and said to her: " Come Ruth, come and eat with us! Come and dip bread into the wine mixed with oil so you can get some strength while you are are at work!" So, Ruth came and joined Boaz and his workers for their meal. Boaz then passed some fresh roasted grain to her...and Ruth ate until she was full and still had food left over.
When Ruth got up to return to work, Boaz spoke to all his workers and said:" Be sure she gleans where the grain is plentiful that is left on the ground. I want you to make it easy for her to collect the grain she needs...in fact, I want you to pull some of the best grain from the stalks and leave it for her to glean. All of you...be kind and respectful to her...no harsh words are to be said to her...got it?"
So, Ruth continued to gather the barley left on the ground for the rest of the day. when she had "beat out" all the grain from the stalks she had collected...she had gathered enough in only one day to fill an entire basket!
Ruth then carried the basket of barley back into town and returned home with Naomi. Ruth was excited on the amount of grain she had gathered, and showed it to Naomi. Naomi then responded: " Where in the world did you get all this grain...in only one day? The Lord has certainly blessed you!"
And no sooner had Naomi spoke, Ruth handed her the fresh roasted grain that Boaz had given to her earlier, leftover from her meal.
Naomi looked at Ruth and said:" Ok, where did you work today? What field did you choose? Ruth, this is not normal what happened to you today...God has stepped into your life and given you His favor?!!"
Then Ruth told Naomi that she had worked in the field of Boaz.
Naomi then spoke: " Well, may the Lord bless Boaz! For he has not only shown kindness to you and I, but has shown respect to our husbands as well! Boaz has demonstrated God's love to us...in the bad times as well as the good! Now, let me tell you about Boaz! He is a close relative...one who is in our "circle of influence". He is one within my family that has the legal right to claim us...to redeem us and say we belong to him!
Then Ruth spoke to Naomi and said: " What's more Naomi...Boaz instructed me to stay only in his fields...with his workers...and with the other women who gleans his fields....throughout the entire harvest!"
Naomi then replied to Ruth: " This is a very kind and wonderful thing that has happened to you Ruth! For now you have been given safety as you glean...no other men can come and take advantage of you!"
And so Ruth continued to work in the fields belonging to Boaz...along with the other women, and gathered grain along side of them until the completion of the barley harvest. But, it did not stop there!
Ruth continued to work in the fields belonging to Boaz throughout the wheat harvest as well...clear into the early part of summer...all the while living and taking care of her beloved mother-n-law...Naomi.
NOTE: It wasn't the grain Ruth was after, it wasn't trying to gain favor with Boaz on her own that she tried to do...she simply loved Naomi..and was falling in love with the God of Naomi...and Boaz.
I think it is important to set your desires in the right place....Ruth's selfless love for Naomi...even leaving her own family to do so.
Sometimes in life it is important to make quality decisions...even among our own "blood". When we face rejection, verbal abuse, or even worse...physical abuse... it is better to "love from a distance".
Life is just too short...and we do "pour ourselves" into the lives of others, particularly our own relatives. Yet, I think there needs to be some sort of comradery there...a respect...an openness where both "parties"to help each other. Otherwise, people can bring our lives down...manipulate us, affect our self-worth or self-esteem, and even our value in the "eyes of the Lord."
It doesn't mean we love others any less...we just have be aware there are those...even among our own...that are not out for the "good of another"...their only thought...is on themselves.
Ruth left her own family...her Mom...her Dad...perhaps brothers and sisters...and chose to help and give her life to Naomi...who had received some "hard blows from the God she served " as Naomi had put it...to the point where Naomi (meaning Pleasant) was wanting to change her name to Mara (meaning Bitter)
but Ruth perceived the heart of Naomi...and the heart of the God Naomi served....in a different matter....
A Gleaning of Ruth, Chapter 2
" As Ruth and Naomi began to settle down in the Bethlehem area, it so happened Naomi had a relative through marriage whose name was...Boaz. Like Elimilech, Boaz was a wealthy and influential man in the local community. In those days, owning land that belonged to family, taking care of those within the family, and being of aid to those who had faced various tragedies within their own families, were notable values and standards people of the Bethlehem community adhered to and believed in.
One day Ruth spoke to Naomi and said: " Allow me to go work...I will go out to the harvest fields and gather up stalks of grain left behind by the men working the harvest...and perhaps find favor in the eyes of the person who might own such fields?"
Naomi thought it to be a good idea and replied to Ruth: " Ok, go ahead my daughter...for you are young, and we can certainly make use of the grain you collect. ( It was a custom in those days for those in need of food (like the poor) to be allowed to pick up stalks of grain left in the field after the harvest workers had come through a field. This was commonly known as "Gleaning".
Without hesitation, Ruth went and began to "glean" a field, following after the harvest workers who had just finished gathering the grains of a particular field.
As it turned out, Ruth had chosen a field that was owned by Boaz, the relative of her father-n-law Elimelech.
Boaz himself had arrived at the field where Ruth was gleaning one of his fields, for Boaz had come to greet and visit the harvesters of his field. Boaz announces to his workers and servants: " The Lord bless and be with you!", and his workers responded: "the Lord bless you Boaz!"
Then, as Boaz was overseeing the work that had been done in this field, he took notice of Ruth who was hard at work gleaning. Boaz motioned for his foreman, and when the foreman arrived with Boaz, Boaz asked him: " Who is that woman gleaning in the field?" The foreman replied: " Oh, she is the girl that came back with Naomi..from Moab...she is Moabite herself. She had approached me earlier and asked permission to be allowed to glean this field we just harvested. I got to tell you Boaz, this girl can work! She started early this morning and has been at it all day...I think I have seen her take only one small break the entire morning!"
Ruth then bowed to the ground before Boaz, thanked him and spoke:"What have I done to deserve such kindness? I am not even from here...I am Moabite."
Boaz then replied: " I've heard about you...actually quite a story about you! I understand you have treated Naomi well...even after the death of her dear husband Elimilech, and I also have heard you have suffered loss as well, losing your own husband. Yet, you have remained faithful to Naomi...going as far as to leave your own family in Moab, and come to this area that is full of strangers to you...all because of your love for Naomi and the God she serves. This God we serve richly rewards people with hearts like yours...and has blessed you already...for you have found protection "under His wings"!
Ruth then replied to Boaz: " I am so honored for your kind words to me...you have made me feel so welcome..especially knowing I am a Moabite!'
As mealtime approached, Boaz called to Ruth and said to her: " Come Ruth, come and eat with us! Come and dip bread into the wine mixed with oil so you can get some strength while you are are at work!" So, Ruth came and joined Boaz and his workers for their meal. Boaz then passed some fresh roasted grain to her...and Ruth ate until she was full and still had food left over.
When Ruth got up to return to work, Boaz spoke to all his workers and said:" Be sure she gleans where the grain is plentiful that is left on the ground. I want you to make it easy for her to collect the grain she needs...in fact, I want you to pull some of the best grain from the stalks and leave it for her to glean. All of you...be kind and respectful to her...no harsh words are to be said to her...got it?"
Ruth then carried the basket of barley back into town and returned home with Naomi. Ruth was excited on the amount of grain she had gathered, and showed it to Naomi. Naomi then responded: " Where in the world did you get all this grain...in only one day? The Lord has certainly blessed you!"
And no sooner had Naomi spoke, Ruth handed her the fresh roasted grain that Boaz had given to her earlier, leftover from her meal.
Naomi looked at Ruth and said:" Ok, where did you work today? What field did you choose? Ruth, this is not normal what happened to you today...God has stepped into your life and given you His favor?!!"
Then Ruth told Naomi that she had worked in the field of Boaz.
Naomi then spoke: " Well, may the Lord bless Boaz! For he has not only shown kindness to you and I, but has shown respect to our husbands as well! Boaz has demonstrated God's love to us...in the bad times as well as the good! Now, let me tell you about Boaz! He is a close relative...one who is in our "circle of influence". He is one within my family that has the legal right to claim us...to redeem us and say we belong to him!
Then Ruth spoke to Naomi and said: " What's more Naomi...Boaz instructed me to stay only in his fields...with his workers...and with the other women who gleans his fields....throughout the entire harvest!"
Naomi then replied to Ruth: " This is a very kind and wonderful thing that has happened to you Ruth! For now you have been given safety as you glean...no other men can come and take advantage of you!"
Ruth continued to work in the fields belonging to Boaz throughout the wheat harvest as well...clear into the early part of summer...all the while living and taking care of her beloved mother-n-law...Naomi.
NOTE: It wasn't the grain Ruth was after, it wasn't trying to gain favor with Boaz on her own that she tried to do...she simply loved Naomi..and was falling in love with the God of Naomi...and Boaz.
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