In our last visit we discovered that Ruth had turned to the God of Israel and away from her former gods in Moab. This choice was similar to what we read about the believers in Thessalonica. Paul commends them in 1st Thessalonians 1:8-9, “Your faith in God has become known everywhere…They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”
Soon after arriving in Bethlehem and getting settled Ruth said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor” (Ruth 2:2). She wanted to serve her God by caring for her own and Naomi’s material needs.
Sometimes we have a sanctimonious view of serving God. Ruth knew she and her mother-in-law had little to survive on. She also knew there would possibly be opposition to her finding work. But she chose to try. It was a faith step on her part. She was trusting that someone would grant her favor. She just picked a field, and asked permission to glean behind the harvesters. With permission grantedshe began to glean, working steadily from morning until late morning except for a short rest in the shelter.
The workers noted how hard she worked. And when the owner of the field came on the scene he immediately noted her and asked the foreman about her. He had heard about her through community gossip, and all he had heard impressed him. She must have been attractive for him to take the steps that followed.
She took a step of faith and followed it up with hard work. God took note and blessed her. Yes, choices matter!
