Ruth 2:4-7: Boaz Learns Of Ruth
“And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.”
- Ruth 2:4-7 (KJV)
“The LORD be with you!” This shows us something of the heart and character of Boaz. Apparently, his workers loved him and had a good relationship with him. You can often tell the real character of a man in authority by seeing how he relates to his staff and by how they think of him.
“And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather." As the supervisor reported to Boaz, he told of Ruth's submissive attitude. There is a sense in which the gleaning was hers by right, as we know from these words in The Book of Leviticus:
“And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.”
- Leviticus 19:9-10(KJV)
However, instead of quoting scripture, she kindly and properly asked for the right to gather in his field.
“So she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now:” Ruth may not have known it, but she was under inspection. The supervisor was looking at what kind of job she did and he was impressed that she did a good job. And the fact that she did a good job was important, because it made a good impression on Boaz.
Christian brothers and sisters, never forget, we are under inspection also. At times when we don't know it, we are being watched by others to see how we will walk with God. And what they see will make a difference.
God bless!
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