Diligent, hard work impressed the Manager

Ruth 2:8-15

Ruth’s first encounter with Boaz is of interest, because he asked his manager over his harvest, “Whose young woman is this?”  And the manager replied; “she is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab.”   Now that answered the question but the manager was very impressed with her diligent, hard work in the hot sun, and he shared that with Boaz.

God allows us to overhear the conversation between Boaz and Ruth in verses 8-14.  “Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”

And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over.”

The Scripture does not imply this, but it seems to me the older man is a little smitten by this young Moabite woman, but maybe he was just moved by what was reported to him about what she had done for Naomi.  These are some points I would have missed; she no longer had to take time from work to make the long trip to the well because Boaz allowed her to drink from jars the young men had filled.  We also see Ruth’s response by prostrating herself as a show of respect to someone who is a social superior.  Naomi’s testimony that she left Bethlehem with a husband and sons and was full, and she came back empty, and Ruth went to the harvest empty and went home not just full, but with much to share.  You and I will always experience troubles in this life, and we have a choice to be like Naomi or Ruth, I choose to be a Ruth.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice