The book of Ruth is the story of a widowed woman named Ruth who pledges her devotion and care to her also-widowed mother-in-law, Naomi. Together they travel from Moab to Israel, and after Ruth starts working in the fields of her husband’s distant relative named Boaz, Naomi suggests that Ruth approach Boaz about being her kinsman redeemer (a relative who could step in and rescue a family member who was going through a difficult time). If Boaz agreed, he would marry Ruth and remove the shame of her poverty under Israelite law.
Naomi wanted the very best for Ruth—according to Ruth 3:1, she wanted to “seek rest for [her], that it may be well with [her]” (esv)—so pointing Ruth in Boaz’s direction meant that Naomi was pointing her daughter-in-law toward a better future. She was pointing her toward redemption so that what had been wrong would be made right.
Since Ruth was from Moab, she wasn’t necessarily familiar with Israel’s redemption process; that’s why Naomi gave her step-by-step instructions. And because lists make me happy, I will now share said instructions in a convenient numbered format. Please note that biblical content is in bold, lest you confuse my stream-of-consciousness rambling with the Word of God.
AS IF.
Here’s Naomi’s to-do list for Ruth’s visit to Boaz.
- Wash up. Such an important tip. Wise counsel from Naomi.
- Anoint yourself. I think the gist of this one was “Put on some oil and get that skin looking right, Ruth.”
- Put on your cloak. Makes sense. My mama always said that if you look your best, you feel your best.
- Go down to the threshing floor where Boaz is. 10-4. Sort of like meeting him at work.
- Don’t interrupt his mealtime. #wisdom
- Stay hidden until he goes to sleep and make note of where he lies down. A little strange, but, um, fair enough.
- After he lies down, uncover his feet and lie down too. Not gonna lie, Naomi. This is straight-up weird to me.
- Wait for him to tell you what to do next. Sounds good. Maybe that will alleviate some of the inevitable awkwardness.
So yes, Israelite customs seem strange when there are a few thousand years between then and now. But we have to remember that Naomi knew the redemptive drill.
And here’s something else to consider. Naomi had a voice in Ruth’s life, which meant she had the freedom to counsel her and guide her. Naomi knew Ruth better than anyone else; at the point when Naomi told Ruth to visit Boaz, the two women had lived side-by-side for years. Naomi knew Ruth’s history, she knew who she was behind closed doors, and she knew, based on the way her daughter-in-law had cared for her, that Ruth was worthy of a man as fine and respected as Boaz.
The takeaway? Even though we’re never going to be in the exact same circumstances as Ruth, we all need someone who knows us that well. That level of familiarity breeds trust. And in Ruth 3:5, we see Ruth’s reaction to Naomi’s instructions: “All that you say I will do” (esv).
When we trust the older people the Lord puts in our lives, there’s little time for second-guessing, arguing, and defiance. Our response tends to be, “Yes, ma’am. You got it.” Their wisdom frequently trumps any potential weirdness.
So listen up.
1. In Ruth 1:16–18, Ruth commits to stay with Naomi during the arduous journey back to Israel (and for the rest of her life as well). What does this level of commitment tell us about Ruth’s character?
2. Is there an older believer who has a voice in your life? Who is it?
3. Do the older people in your life sometimes talk about the way they used to do things? What are some older customs that seem strange to you? (And if you don’t have older people in your life, you can still answer this question based on what you’ve seen on TV and in movies.)
4. Read Hebrews 13:17, and then write it out below.
Today’s Prayer