Life Lessons from the book of RUTH

Ruth 2:4

And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you! And they answered him, The Lord bless thee!

From Bethlehem – farmers did not live on their farms in that day. They were town dwellers for better security against enemies and went out each day to tend their crops and livestock. During certain seasons, of course, come of the workmen stayed overnight in the fields to tend livestock or protect crops.

What if your boss greeted you this way on the job? What does his greeting and their response tell you about them? God meant something to them and they acknowledged His work in their lives.

Ruth 2:5-7

Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, ‘It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab. And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.’

Boaz saw an unfamiliar face. “Who is this young woman?”

Notice that her request had been for a favored spot among the sheaves. Anyone could glean what was left after the sheaves were removed to the threshing floor.

“The house” – a booth of branches or stone, or sometimes a tent, provided as a shelter for the watchmen at harvest. It served as a shady resting place and a place for food and water during the heat of the day. Such shelters are still common in many parts of the world where manual labor is used in fieldwork.

Ruth 2:8-9

Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide herefast by my maidens: let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels and drink of that which the young men have drawn. KJV

⁸ Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. ⁹ See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.” NLT 

“Listen, my daughter!” “My daughter,” a term of kindness and affection.

“I want you here; don’t glean in another field; don’t go away.” She is to watch where Boaz’s crew is harvesting and follow them. “Fast by,” = stay close to the young women working for Boaz.

Boaz told the young men in his crew not to bother her. Any time you have a crew of young men working away from home, you are likely to find a bad apple or two in the barrel. It would be easy for a foreign girl to be treated rudely and even harmed.

Not only this, but “don’t bother to bring your own water; just help yourself from the water jars in the shelter.

Dear God, Jesus told us that all of the Law (10 commandments) can be summed up into two: Love You. Love others. Help me to love others – not just from a distance, but actually seeing them, and to provide for them whenever I can – even with the smallest of blessings (like water). Amen.