Meat for the Hungry

Sarahbmartin.wordpress.com “Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, "Come here, and eat of the bread…she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.” (Ruth 2:14) In the coolness of the shelter, Boaz prepared a table and food was abundant. As she rested, Ruth’s hunger was satisfied and she arose refreshed. However, this “time of refreshing” would never have come if Ruth had not turned away from Moab and chosen The Lord God of Israel. Through the entire meal, Boaz kept his eye on Ruth. He witnessed her kind interaction with his workers and couldn’t help being captivated by her sparkling, raven-colored eyes, her timid giggle and blushing smile. This was a young woman of quality and integrity, a rare find indeed. Before she left the table, Ruth tucked some of her leftovers away for later, and then quickly returned to gleaning.

“So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor…” (Ruth 2:2) What little resources Naomi and Ruth may have brought from Moab had now dwindled to the point of desperation. Since a Moabite and an elderly woman have very little options to earn a living, Ruth decided it was time to try gleaning. Although Naomi wanted to protect her young daughter-in-law from the harsh realities of life, she knew she could not. There were dangers for women gleaners. Working in the extremely hot sun could cause sunstroke, dehydration and exhaustion. Many times, gleaners faced ridicule. However, in Ruth’s case, being a Moabite could also spawn mistreatment and abuse. 

In relationships, when there is a rift and reconciliation has occurred, isn’t there a lifting of your spirit, joy in your heart, and an overall good feeling? This was the resident attitude of Bethlehem in Ruth 1:19-22. Because they repented, Bethlehemites were now harvesting barley. Jehovah-jireh, the Lord our Provider, had forgiven their transgressions, sent rain and caused their crops to grow. It was a joyous time of hard work; work Bethlehem had not had in much too long. Into this place and mindset, Naomi and Ruth stepped.