Ruth 2:1-23

This is the passage from which this blog’s name was derived.  Ruth goes out to glean in the fields after the harvesters have passed over them.  The law prohibited a land owner from going over his fields a second time after the harvest as this was God’s means of providing for the poor who did not have land on which to grow crops.  This created a system that made provision for the poor yet still required that they work in order for them to able to eat.  Ruth recognizes this opportunity and demonstrates that she fully intends to provide for herself and her mother-in-law through this very humble work.  This chapter is the beginning of a romance that demonstrates to us a few principles that we should keep in mind when we are looking for a spouse or helping our children to be wise in their choices.  Here are three qualities that we should always seek in our spouses.

HUMBLE: It is not easy to be poor, and it is often even harder to be willing to admit and come to grips with our own poverty.  Ruth may have come from a wealthy family in Moab, she might have considered gleaning in the fields after the harvest to be beneath her, but that was not the case.  She volunteered to go out and do this job simply because it needed to be done.  Love is always an act of self denial in favor of someone else.  Humility is an essential ingredient of love.  Those who are proud tend to be very self-centered which is the opposite of love.  When we look for a spouse, we must remember that it is vital that we seek someone who is humble and ready to serve by our sides and not just sit back and watch others.

INDUSTRIOUS: Ruth is a hard worker.  She has started early in the day, and has worked through the heat of the day without complaining our quitting.  She is willing to get her hands dirty and to suffer in the heat in order to meet the needs of her mother-in-law and herself.  We tend to be very focuses on external appearances far more than we look at the heart of a person’s character.  Living together and raising a family required a lot of hard work.  Marriage and life in general, is far “realer” than it is “romantic.”  If we want our marriages to be lasting and loving, it is important to look for a spouse who is a hard worker and not just a “good looker.”

KIND: Ruth is kind to her mother-in-law by going out making provision for them both.  She is kind to Boaz as she interacts with him during the day.  She is gracious and kind in her treatment of him.  Boaz is also very kind to Ruth in allowing her to glean in his fields and making sure to protect her as well as provide for her needs of food and drink.  Ruth has obviously caught the eye of Boaz, not only because I believe she was very beautiful, but because of her kindness to Naomi, her character was well known and admired.  This mutual kindness is a wonderful quality to look for in a spouse.  We must simply look to treat one another with kindness and respet.