March 16th

March 16th -- Ruth 2 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%202&version=NLT)

Ruth works in Boaz's field.

In Bethlehem, where Ruth and Naomi just moved, we have a rich man named Boaz. He was a relative of Naomi's husband, Elimelech.

One day, Ruth asks Naomi to let her go into the fields and pick up grain left behind if the owner of the field will be kind enough to let her. Naomi says she may go, and Ruth happens to end up in a field that belongs to Boaz. When she is there, Boaz shows up, and, naturally, asks who she is. The foreman says who she is, and explains she asked to pick up what was left behind and has been doing so all day. Boaz goes to Ruth and tells her to always come to his fields for grain. He says she may follow the women and he has told the men not to be rough to her. She is also free to water when she is thirsty. Ruth asks what she did to deserve such kindness, and Boaz says he knows of what she did for her mother-in-law, so this will be reward from God for that. Ruth says she hopes she will continue to please him (he said what she had done for Naomi pleased him) and she is comforted by his kindness to her.

It comes time for a meal, and Boaz calls to her, offering her wine for her bread, as well as roasted grains, and she has leftovers when she is full. She goes back to working, but not before Boaz gets to his workers and says to let her gather right from the sheaves. They are also to pulls heads of barley from the bundles, then drop them and let her pick them up. So Ruth manages to gather a full basket.

When she shows Naomi, Naomi asks where she was working, saying God will bless them. Ruth tells Naomi and Naomi explains their relation. Ruth also tells Naomi Boaz had told her to return and stay with the other harvesters until the harvest is complete. Naomi tells her this is great and she should do this, because she will be safe there. So Ruth keeps working with the other women in the fields while still living with Naomi.

I think the main lesson in here is kindness. Kindness to everyone. Realistically, Boaz could and normally would have been very angry to have someone picking along through his fields. That is leftovers he could have had gather afterward for him. She could basically have been seen as a thief. Also, it was always risky for women, as they would be out among men in the fields with no supervision. Boaz, though, sees Ruth working diligently to help Naomi, who she gave up her home and family for. He respects her for that, and treats her with kindness. He is remembered for that.
Wouldn't you like to be remembered for that? We see the stories like it all the time. A man shoves another out of the way of a bus. Someone gives up their organ for a stranger who will die without one. A child is found stealing food to try to feed a homeless man in the streets (well, not sure that one's happened, but it's a nice idea for a kid to be trying to help a homeless guy). I'd much rather be remembered for an act of kindness than anything else. Why? Kindness is love. Love is the only reason we are here. "For God so loved the world..." We'd all be hell-bound (literally) without love, and love is shown through kindness. We are supposed to "love your neighbour as yourself". That means we need to be kind to them. Who are out neighbours? EVERYONE. That's right. Be kind to everyone. We need to be the Boaz of this world's wheat fields. We need to help those we can to the best of our abilities, simply to bring glory to God, as Boaz wished to.

Well, that shall be all! God bless! Shalom!