Ruth 2:10-11
She thanked him warmly. “How can you be so kind to me?” she asked. “You must know I am only a foreigner.”
“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied, “and I also know about all the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you left your father and mother in your own land and have come here to live among strangers.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Boaz didn’t really know Ruth. She was little more than a foreigner who had moved into town – and she asked Boaz’s foreman if she could tag along to the wheat fields and pick up the leftovers. Yet something about Ruth intrigued Boaz. He told her to stay close to the other women – and he told the men to stay away from Ruth. And Boaz made sure that she had plenty of wheat to take home at the end of the day.
There are two things happening in this scripture passage that are noteworthy…1) Boaz was moved by the way Ruth sacrificed her own desires and happiness for that of her mother-in-law, Naomi - how she gave up her homeland and her family to move from Moab to Bethlehem; and 2) Boaz extended his gratitude to Ruth for her dedication by treating her kindly and generously.
Here’s how we can apply these things to our own life. First, we can ask God to make us more aware of what is happening in our midst. We can look for opportunities to be kind to others – even when we don’t know them or they are a “foreigner” or different in some way. Additionally, we can make a concerted effort to show our gratitude to those who do things for us and for those we care about – just to let them know that we notice – and appreciate - their efforts. And finally, we can thank God for blessing us – so that we might be a blessing to others.
I believe God placed Ruth and Boaz together. The Bible tells us that their marriage and the birth of a son, Obed, was a blessing not only to them – but also to Naomi and others. We have no clue who God might be putting in our path on any given day – or for what purpose. Don’t miss a chance to bless them…and to show gratitude to God – and to others – in the process. Be thankful for all of the opportunities that God provides for us to be kind and show gratitude – and for the “foreigners” who may deliver them!
©2014 Debbie Robus
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