Today:
Ruth 1-4Have you ever known somebody who seems continually blessed? Someone who seems to have good things continually come into their lives--and pour out of them, too?
I've known some of these people and at moments, others have labeled me as one of them, too. If you've ever been close to someone who lives a really blessed life, you'll know that it isn't always that way. Most people on this planet--even if they look like they have it all together--have been through some ugly stuff or have had to make some tough choices.
As I read today's passage about Ruth, I thought about her life, my life and the lives of people I know who appear to be continually blessed. Ruth was an absolutely incredible woman who faced tragedy. Her husband, father-in-law and brother-in-law all died while Ruth was young. But Ruth is remembered and recognized throughout the Bible as a blessed woman. She later married a successful man, had a child who became the grandfather of King David and eventually, Ruth's name is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Himself!
Why was she so blessed? I think the answer has to do with the way she positioned herself (which may sound strange). When I write that Ruth was positioned for blessing, I'm not talking about a position of power or some method of maneuvering herself closer to blessing. I think Ruth was blessed because of the positioning of her heart and her life to honor and serve others. Let me explain...
First, Ruth definitely wasn't powerful--she was a woman and a widow. By following her mother-in-law Naomi, Ruth left her country and became a foreigner in a strange land. It couldn't have been easy to leave behind the familiarity of her home to follow her mother-in-law, but Ruth was loyal. Unlike her sister-in-law, Orpah, Ruth didn't abandon Naomi in a desert and push Naomi (a grieving widow and mother herself) to travel alone. She loved Naomi and wanted to support her by working hard in a field to provide for them. She found favor with the owner. Take a look at this passage:
She dropped to her knees, then bowed her face to the ground.
"How does this happen that you should pick me out
and treat me so kindly—
me, a foreigner?"
Boaz answered her, "I've heard all about you—
heard about the way you treated your mother-in-law
after the death of her husband,
and how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth
and have come to live among a bunch of total strangers.
God reward you well for what you've done—
and with a generous bonus besides from God,
to whom you've come seeking protection under his wings."
She said, "Oh sir, such grace, such kindness—
I don't deserve it.
You've touched my heart, treated me like one of your own.
And I don't even belong here!"
Boaz noticed Ruth because of her hardworking spirit, but he had heard about her amazing heart.
There are a few other interesting examples of Ruth being positioned for blessing, sometimes literally. For example, by sticking close to the female workers at Boaz's field, she stayed safe and gleaned a lot of grain. By staying connected to Naomi and following her instructions, Ruth positioned herself to become Boaz's wife--literally sleeping at his feet (all dressed up and smelling pretty), which caused him to notice her--not just as a great worker, but as his potential bride. I love what Boaz said when he finally woke up (probably in more ways than one!):
He said, "God bless you, my dear daughter!
What a splendid expression of love!
And when you could have had your pick of any of the young men around.
And now, my dear daughter, don't you worry about a thing;
I'll do all you could want or ask.
Everybody in town knows what a courageous woman you are—
a real prize!
Interesting stuff, huh? Sometimes being blessed is about literal positioning--it's being at the right place in God's timing. If Ruth wouldn't have left Moab and followed Naomi, for example, she would have never met and married Boaz.
However (and I think it's more often this factor), being positioned for blessing often has a lot to do with how your heart is positioned. There are some Christians today who try to maneuver God's blessing--they think, "If I do X, then God will automatically bless me with Y." Maybe. But I think God's promises of blessing are SO MUCH BIGGER than an equation. God is smart enough to look not just at our actions, but at our motivation. Ruth's love, courage, loyalty, determination and wisdom didn't go unnoticed by Naomi, Boaz or God Himself. Perhaps she was positioned for blessing precisely because she wasn't trying to be--she was just being loving, courageous, loyal, determined and wise.
Tomorrow:
1 Samuel 1-3
