Ruth 2:1‭-‬3 - KJV - And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.‬

At the beginning and at the end of this section of the Bible, a precision occurs twice about Boaz, who is "from the family of Elimelech". He is going to have a great impact on the new course of events and the double mention about this man of great influence puts a lot of weight on this story because Boaz is going to have a major impact in the life of Naomi, and most specially in the life of Ruth the Moabite. These two widows are back from Moab. They decide not to become beggars. No, Naomi is a daughter of Abraham and she will not lose her dignity by going around begging just because she was robbed of her wealth and came back to Bethlehem empty handed. When Ruth offers to go out and glean some grain in a field where she will find favor, Naomi can only thank the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob again for blessing her with such a clever, smart, hardworking and intelligent daughter-in-law.

The request of Ruth is proof that she really cares for her mother in law and is determined to assist her as she promised. Moreover, it proves that she is getting accustomed with the Jewish culture and beliefs. It is obvious that Naomi told her about Adonai's law concerning reaping and leaving some of the grain behind for the poor and the needy (Leviticus 23:22). God is the defender of the widows and orphans as we can read in His Word. He gave His people some laws to make sure that they are protected and taken care of, and Ruth is ready to make use of this right. She knows what the Word of the Lord says and she acts upon it. She decides to take God by His Word and try this new law that she discovers in Israel. Instead of complaining about her new situation in Bethlehem with Naomi, instead of worrying about what they will eat, she decides to apply the little knowledge that she has of God’s Word to transform her situation. ‬

Naomi is grateful to have this virtuous woman at her side who is not thinking about selling her body to make up for a living. She does not go around in town as a busy body and a gossiper wasting time in useless conversations and activities. Ruth is a conscientious young lady who is determined to keep her promise to take care for her old mother in law. She does not start a quarrel with Naomi over the possessions that Elimelech might have left back and which she could claim for herself as being the wife and righteous heir of Machlon. No, she has a quiet spirit that longs for peace, love and harmony. She is ready to put to practice everything she learns from the customs of the Jewish people. She decides to go out and work with her hands. And of course, she is a prayerful woman. Before starting on her way to work for that day, she commits herself and Naomi in the protecting hands of Gods and prays to Adonai to lead her steps and allow her to find a field where she will be favored by the owner. And God grants her request.

As we already said, Ruth is a woman of great faith who puts her faith into practice through good works. As we know, faith without works is dead and the Bible expects those who live by faith to abound in good works. Ruth displayed her extraordinary faith when she decided to leave her country, her siblings and her customs to follow an old woman who no longer has much to offer her in this life. In so doing, she becomes the true daughter of Abraham because she moves by faith. Just like Abraham did, she left her country and her place of birth to enrol into a journey into the unknown. Just by faith, trusting in that One and only true God who can never fail. Ruth displays a stubborn faith that believes the unbelievable and decides to act accordingly. And as the Bible rightly says, God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and He honours our acts of faith.

Ruth could have gone out to her business without talking to Naomi first about her intentions. But she shows respect to her mother-in-law by asking for the permission to go out and gather some grain behind the reapers. Sadly to say, respect has disappeared from many Christian families today, not even to talk of the non-Christian families. But Naomi is not the kind of mother-in-law who would harass her daughter-in-law and Ruth is not the kind of daughter-in-law who would despise her mother-in-law. On the contrary, both of them show respect to each other and live together in a caring relationship. You would not hear them fussing and cussing about anything and the neighbours could admire the bonds of love, peace and harmony between two widows who had been stricken by life. What a great model for today's world. Naomi knows that she can trust Ruth and rely upon her words. Therefore, she grants her the permission to go ahead and reap some grain in a field, knowing that she will not go elsewhere. Ruth is not a liar. She is a woman of integrity who keeps to her word. She is focused and she does what she says as long as she believes in her heart that it is the right thing to do. We can imagine that she is not only a model but also a challenge for many young Jewish ladies around in her time who could learn from this foreign lady who used to be an idol worshipper. Sometimes God chooses the things that we reject and count out to bless us and to teach us His ways. He says that He chose the foolish things of the world to confound the great, and He chose Ruth to teach the children of Abraham and to us too that He is sovereign and He gives grace to whomever He chooses to do so.

So, Ruth goes out early enough to gather some grain and "it happens" that she finds herself in the field of the wealthy, strong, influential and intelligent man called Boaz. And from that moment on, her life is going to take another decisive turn for ever. In a certain way, this powerful man is going to be the “savior” for Naomi and Ruth. Boaz is a God-fearing man who is respected among his people. He is a man of integrity and virtue. Even though he is powerful and influential, he does not use it to oppress his workers. He is gentle, caring and righteous. His heart is sensitive to the needs of the poor people around him and he is ready to help them, just as he does with Ruth. He is kind towards her even though she is a stranger. He does not take advantage of her and he is going to act as her protector and her redeemer. But not only that, Boaz is a humble man who does not brag about his wealth and influence. In this Christmas season, we can see Jesus the Savior of humanity in the person of Boaz. He reminds us of Jesus with his humble character and there is a parallel between Jesus and Boaz.

Jesus who is the King of all kings, is a powerful and wealthy Man. He is the King of glory who revealed Himself to us as a simple man without displaying His power. He was hardworking. He used His influence and power to save the poor and protect those who are weak. He is attentive to the hearts of those who are sincere and rewards the faith of those who approach Him with total confidence and complete surrender. While He was on earth, Jesus never used His power to oppress the people around Him. Even though He was and is the Master of all, He took the position of a servant. He shows compassion and mercy when we cry unto Him for help. Boaz and Jesus both appear as a source of encouragement, joy and comfort for their people. They are ready to sacrifice themselves to help the afflicted one and to help the poor. They are not focused on their own desires or interest but they seek that which is right in God’s sight. They present themselves as servants despite their power, authority, and influence. Any person who approaches them with a humble heart finds favor in their sight. While we celebrate Christmas, let us put the Lord Jesus at the centre and strive to be more like Him: gentle, kind, unselfish and loving our neighbour like ourselves. Merry Christmas! md