Tuesday, July 31
Ruth and Boaz "Meet Cute"
Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.
There's a term in Hollywood for when two people meet for the first time and you know it's going to be a match made in heaven. It's "Meet Cute." Here, Ruth and Boaz "met cute." Ruth was gleaning in a field (gathering the leftovers that have fallen to the ground after the reapers harvest). Fortunately (or is it God?), she gleaned in a field owned by Boaz, a distant relative of Naomi. When he asked about her, his workers told him that she had returned with Naomi from Moab. It would have been clear to Boaz all that Ruth had given up to come to Judah with Naomi. He was impressed by her even before he met her.
When he did finally meet her, he made sure to praise her for what she was doing for Naomi. Also, he encouraged her to remain close to his women in his field. If she had strayed to another field, she might have put herself in danger from reapers who were not as upstanding as Boaz and his workers. It was a small token, but it would turn out to be a crucial relationship, not only for Ruth and Boaz, but for Jesus, too, who was a descendant of their child, Obed.
Narrative Lectionary Text: Ruth 2:4-13
Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you.” They answered, “The Lord bless you.” Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “To whom does this young woman belong?” The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, ‘Please, let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.’ So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.” Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?” But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!” Then she said, “May I continue to find favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.”