Ruth 2:17-23
17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
18 And she picked it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took some out and gave Naomi what she had left after she was satisfied.
19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.”
20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the Lord who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living and from the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is our relative; he is one of our redeemers.”
21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You are to stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’”
22 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, so that others do not assault you in another field.”
23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Upon Returning Home
Ruth’s report
Diligence bares fruit of joy. The wise find joy in the fruits of their labor and prepares for the future by storing them up. Each night, let’s ask ourselves, “whose field did I glean from today,” and “in what ways have I grown?” Let’s learn from the conversation between Ruth and Naomi. (1) On that day, Ruth was able to gather one ephah of barley, which is about 23 liters (about 6 gallons). This is a significant amount, even with Boaz’s consideration. (2) She brought it home to Naomi, showing it to her. In addition, she gave Naomi some roasted grain that she had saved after eating her fill. Ruth is a wise woman who has already begun storing food. (3) Amazed at what Ruth brought home, Naomi asked for the name of the owner of the filed so that she can bless him. When she learns that it was Boaz, she was even more surprised because Boaz was one of her close relatives who had the right of redemption. (4) Ruth informed Naomi that Boaz advised her to stay in his field and not go to others in the future. Naomi was delighted to hear this and encouraged Ruth to continue in Boaz’s field.
Ruth’s obedience
Every year, the first harvest that arrives is barley, followed by wheat. Ruth experiences both of these harvests. Furthermore, she doesn’t leave Boaz’s field during the day and returns to her mother-in-law Naomi’s house in the evenings. This faithfulness will lead to even more blessings. As mentioned before, Boaz serves as a type of Christ. Going to Boaz’s field is akin to going to Christ’s field. Let’s return to the initial question: Whose field have you been gleaning in lately? In that field, have you found the fruits of peace and righteousness? What personal and spiritual growth have you experienced in that field? Jesus tells us, “I am the light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12).
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father of Jesus Christ, I pray that I may go out into the field of Christ day by day and gather a rich harvest there. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.