Mighty Man, Impressive Woman

It takes more than wealth to make a man noble; some rich men are very small characters, after all. Boaz was a man of wealth and influence in the region called Ephrathah and in the town of Bethlehem. He was also a man of measurable depth, evident faith and honorable character. He could recognize virtue in others; he was a businessman, knowing how to exercise and delegate authority.

When this important man came from Bethlehem to observe the progress of the barley harvest in his nearby fields he noticed an unfamiliar figure and asked the supervisor in charge who she might be. The report of this ranking servant was a good one. She was the foreigner who had returned with Naomi from Moab where all three of her men-folk had died during the course of their time there. Ruth, young and strong and likely beautiful, was no pampered wallflower waiting to be served and fed by others, least of all by her beloved Naomi. She was an eager, energetic, diligent worker from what the supervisor of the reapers told Boaz. She had worked all day except for a brief rest in the field-shelter.

We can imagine Ruth’s pulse quickening as Boaz, the owner of the field, approached. He spoke gently to one who might have been terrified by a commanding tone. He assured her that she could continue to glean in his fields and be unafraid; he had strictly commanded his young men not to touch her, which tells us that otherwise she might have expected to be ‘fair game’ to the workers. For even then it seems that some Jewish men (rather unlike Boaz) thought little of taking inappropriate advantage of female goyim, Gentiles, who were of somewhat less-than-human status. When Ruth became thirsty she was to drink from the water provided on-site for Boaz’s workers. Having no sense of entitlement and possibly expecting hostility instead of kindness, this foreigner was surprised and thankful. Her response was humility and appreciation.

It was more than hard-working diligence that made Ruth impressive. Everything Boaz had heard proved that this young Moabite woman was extraordinary. When she expressed thankful surprise at his kindness, he explained to her the why of it.

“And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge" (Ruth 2:11-12 NKJV).

Boaz was more than a successful businessman; Ruth was more than an industrious woman. This tale of God’s great love for His people should teach us to value what is valuable and to appreciate unexpected kindness. –TSA