‹ Back

Ruth 2:17 "So she gleaned in the field until evening; then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley."

 

Ruth, the Moabite, came to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law Naomi, a Jew, after both of their husbands had passed away in Moab. Being widows, Ruth and Naomi were not in the best of financial circumstances, so Ruth went to glean in the fields. She ended up in a field belonging to Boaz, a wealthy kinsman of Naomi's late husband. Boaz learned of Ruth and her story, and he gave her protection and warned her not to glean in other fields. He even instructed his servants to leave sheaves for her to glean so that she would have more food to take home. (Ruth 2:1-13)

 

God often looks at us much the same way Boaz looked on Ruth. He sees our good works, and our loving hearts, and He wants to provide for us. But we have to participate, we have to do our share. Ruth was willing to go out into the fields and glean behind the reapers in order to have food for herself and her mother-in-law. Boaz noticed her labors, and her commitment to Naomi, and he made special arrangements so she could have a bit more. He would not have been able to give her that extra if she had not been willing to work for it. Eventually, Boaz would marry Ruth (Ruth 4:13), providing her and Naomi with security for the rest of their lives, something that never would have happened if Ruth hadn't gone out into the fields.  

 

Throughout our lives, but especially when we find ourselves in difficult situations, God wants to help us, but we have to be willing to help Him help us. If we give in to despair or self-pity, we don't give Him the opportunity to bless us, we're too busy clinging to our pain to get up and go out into the fields where the blessings are. When we do go out to do our part, however, God will provide even more than we hoped for.