An Excellent Woman

RUTH knelt by the pile of barley stalks she had gathered during the day. Everything was descending on the fields around Bethlehem and many workers were already wending their way up to the gate of the little city perched atop a nearby ridge. Ruth's muscles surely protested the long day's labor, for she had been working steadily since the morning. Still she kept at it, swinging a small rod or flail down onto the stalks to loosen the grains. All in all, it had been a good day-better than she could ever  have hoped for.

Were things finally starting to look up for this young widow? As we saw in the previous chapter, she had attached herself to her moth-in-law, Naomi, vowing to stick with her and make Naomi's God, Jehovah her own God. Together the two bereaved woman had come to Bethlehem from Moab, and Ruth the Moabitess soon learned that Jehovah's Law made practical, dignified provisions for the poor in Israel, including foreigners. And now she found that some of Jehovah's people, who lived under the Law and were trained by it, showed a degree of spirituality and kindness that touched her wounded heart.

One such person was Boaz, the wealthy older man whose fields she was gleaning. He had taken fatherly notice of her today. She could not help but smile inwardly when she thought of his king words praising her for caring for Naomi and for choosing to seek refuse under the wings of the true God, Jehovah. - Read RUTH 2:11-14.

Still, Ruth may have wondered about the life ahead of her. As an impoverished foreigner with neither husband nor child, how would she support herself and Naomi in the years ahead?  Would gleaning suffice? and Who would take care of her when she grew old? It would be understandable if such concerns weighed on her mind. In today's hard economic times, many struggle with similar anxieties. As we learn how Ruth's faith helped her through such challenges, we will find much to imitate.

Next time: An Excellent Woman- What Makes a Family?

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