QT 16 Feb 17, Ruth 2:5-12, Don't be too quick to flee hardship

Ruth 2:5–12 (ESV) —

5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

8 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. 9 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.” 10 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?” 11 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. 12 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!”

NOTE: The law required those reaping fields to leave the gleanings (leftovers) on the ground for the poor. I suppose this is a biblical example of workfare as opposed to welfare -- you could get food for free if you were willing to work all day picking up the leftovers from the harvest. In that way, the poor receive dignity and not handouts, because they worked for their food. The rich, or those who own fields were required to allow the poor to glean, and so they contributed to helping the poor. But in this case, Boaz goes farther. He protects Ruth and he also lets her, like a maidservant, use the water he gave to his servants. He did this out of appreciation for both her care for Naomi and her faith in God. This is where the story takes a 180 degree turn. Before, Elimelech left the land, probably in wealth, because of a famine, and suffered terrible loss. Now, Naomi returns to the land, destitute, and is blessed with food. Unlike the new covenant, the old covenant did promise physical blessings for obedience, whereas the new covenant promises spiritual and future eternal blessings for obedience. Naomi's return to the land results in physical blessings because of her obedience. Her husband was too quick to run, not relying upon God during the hard times. But God uses all things for his good, even bad decisions by our leaders.