Acceptance in Community

March 28, 2010

Background Scripture: Ruth 2, 3
Lesson Passage: Ruth 2:5 – 12; 3:9 – 11

This week’s lesson continues the historical account of Ruth the Moabite. Some time after she and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem, Ruth requested permission of her mother-in-law to go into the field and glean grain behind the reapers so that the two of them would be able to survive. Naomi granted Ruth’s request and addressed her as her daughter. Although Ruth was from the land of Moab, her reputation concerning her kindness to her Jewish mother-in-law had become known in the region of Judea. Ruth’s past reputation would prove to be a present blessing for her and Naomi. God ordered her steps so that she would end up in the field of a kinsman of her deceased father-in-law, Elimelech. When Boaz saw Ruth, he asked who she was. When he was told that she was Ruth the Moabite, he had already heard about her. Ruth did not know Boaz but Boaz knew of Ruth. (It’s not always who you know; sometimes it’s a matter of who knows you.) This was the beginning of Ruth’s blessings and as a result, it was also the beginning of Naomi’s blessings as well. In spite of Naomi’s lamentation that she had left Bethlehem full and came back empty, God still had blessings in store for her through the daughter-in-law that she tried to send back to the Moabites. Boaz ensured that Ruth would receive a blessing as recompense for her extraordinary kindness to Naomi. Boaz used the occasion of blessing Ruth to give all credit to the sufficiency of the Lord God of Israel. Boaz instructed Ruth to only glean in his field and he ensured her that his servants were instructed to not bother or harass her. Furthermore, he instructed his servants to drop some extra grain on purpose so that Ruth could reap a bounty without having to do much gleaning. When Ruth brought her bounty home, Naomi knew right away that there was something unusual about the large amount of grain that Ruth had. This amount was not typical for gleaners. When Naomi understood that it was Boaz who had provided for Ruth, she knew that it was God’s intervention that had made it possible. Not only had God brought them in contact with a near relative of Naomi’s deceased husband, Elimelech, but God had previously provided a law through Moses that required the near relative to redeem the widow of his kinsman so that offspring could be provided and the family would not be cutoff because of the death. Naomi taught Ruth the proper way to approach a Jewish man so he would behave towards her according to the Law of Moses. Ruth obeyed and Boaz accepted his role as a near kinsman and redeemer. Although he considered himself to not be Ruth’s first choice because of the difference in their ages, he still expressed the honor he felt in being selected as the kinsman redeemer of Elimelech’s family.

Through these actions that were no doubt orchestrated by God, Ruth became the physical salvation for Naomi that she had given up hope of finding. Ruth’s reputation as a virtuous woman had preceded her and she became accepted in the community of Israel.

Robert C. Hudson
March 22, 2010