Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, ‘Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, August 25, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I’m starting to get the feeling that maybe Boaz has a little crush on Ruth. It’s not enough that he’s welcomed her openly and fed her lunch. Now he’s instructing his harvesters to let her take barley from their harvested bundles—the good stuff—and not just what’s left on the ground after they’ve gathered what they could. And just in case she feels too shy to do this (though knowing what I know of Ruth at this point, I doubt it) he instructs his harvesters to take handfuls of the good stuff and scatter it onto the ground so it looks like gleaning but really isn’t. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t do this for all the poor women out gleaning in his fields.
It brings up lots of questions. First, why Ruth? Is she beautiful? I don’t think they ever say as much. Is it because of her reputation—all the things she has done for Naomi? That tracks, I suppose. Second, why so subtle? Why not just give her the barley straight up? Too forward too quickly? Does it violate social norms in a way that might damage her reputation? Is it just to build tension and intrigue in the story? Third, does Ruth catch on? So far she strikes me as pretty with-it. I imagine her seeing the harvesters out of the corner of her eye surreptitiously yanking fistfuls of barley out of the sheaves and scattering them on the ground when they think she’s not looking. Does she turn away, unable to suppress a grin? I’d like to think so.
This, too, is good story-telling. It leaves things up to the imagination, drawing the reader in to fully inhabit the story. Are you standing in the field with her? Where is Boaz? Are you one of the harvesters? The other women? Can you see what’s happening here?
At the very least, we’re all in. We’re pulling for the strong and faithful Ruth and the kind and generous Boaz, trusting that God has big and beautiful plans for them together.
How am I drawn into this story and other passages from scripture? What do I find most compelling?
