An Excellent Woman - What Makes a Famil/y?

By the time Ruth finished beating out the grain and collecting it all together, she found that she had gleaned about an ephah measure, or 20 quarts (22 L), of barley. Her load may have weighed some 30 pounds (14 kg) She hoisted it, perhaps bundling it in a cloth and carrying it on her head, and then made her way to Bethlehem in the gathering darkness. - RUTH 2:17. 

Naomi was pleased to see her beloved daughter-in-law, and perhaps she gasped in surprise as she saw Ruth's heavy load of barley. Ruth also brought some food left over from the meal that Boaz had provided for the workers, and the two thus shared a simple meal. Naomi asked: "Where did you glean today, and where did you work?  May the one who took notice of you become blessed." (Ruth 2:19) Naomi was attentive; she saw proof in Ruth's heavy load of provisions that someone had taken notice of the  young widow and  had treated her kindly. 

The two fell to conversing, and Ruth told Naomi about the kindness of Boaz. Moved, Naomi replied:  "Blessed he be of Jehovah, who has not left off his loving-kindness toward the living and the dead." (Ruth 2:20) She saw the kindness of Boaz as coming from Jehovah, who moves his servants to be generous and promises to reward his people for the kindness they show. - Read PROVERBS 19:17. 

Naomi urged Ruth to accept Boaz' offer to keep gleaning his fields and to stay near the young women of his own household so that she would escape harassment from the reapers. Ruth took that advice. She also "kept on dwelling with her mother-in-law." (Ruth 2:22, 23) In those words we see once more her hallmark quality-loyal love. Ruth's example may move us to ask ourselves whether we honor the bonds of family, loyally supporting our loved ones and offering them to help as needed. Jehovah never fails to notice such loyal love.

Were Ruth and Naomi somehow less than a family? Some assume that there must be someone to fill each role-husband, wife, son, daughter, grandparent, and so forth- for a family to be "real" But the examples of Ruth and Naomi remind us that servants of Jehovah  can open their hearts and make even the smallest of families glow with warmth, kindness, and love. Do you appreciate what family you have? Jesus reminded his followers that the Christian congregation can provide family even for those who have none. - MARK 10:29, 30.

Next time: An Excellent Woman - "He us One of Our Repurchasers"

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