Faith And Family Series

There is an old fable that tells the story of an old man who was traveling with a boy and a donkey. As they walked through a village, the man was leading the donkey and the boy was walking behind. The villagers said the old man was a fool for not riding, so the old man climbed up on the animal’s back.

When they came to the next village, the people said the old man was cruel to let the child walk while he enjoyed the ride. So he got off the donkey and set the boy on the animal’s back and continued on his way.

In the third village, people accused the child of being lazy for making the old man walk. They suggested that both of them should ride, so the old man climbed on and they set off again.

In the fourth village, the people became indignant. They thought it was cruel to make the donkey carry two people. The frustrated man was last seen carrying the donkey down the road. (Bible Illustrator)

Opinions are like armpits. Everybody has them, and they usually stink. If you listened to everybody, nobody would be pleased, and you would end up carrying a heavy burden.

So who should you listen to? Whose opinion should matter the most to you? To whose voice should you pay attention more than anyone else’s?

That was the question Ruth faced more than 3,000 years ago when she found herself far away from home in a strange land. Her husband had died, and she was living with her mother-in-law in the little town of Bethlehem. Her new home was quite different than Moab, where she grew up. The laws and customs were very strange to her, so she needed a guide. She needed good advice from a reliable source.

If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Ruth 3, Ruth 3, where she discovered that source and where and you and I can discover it, as well.

Ruth 3:1 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. (ESV)

Naomi wants Ruth to find a husband and a home of her own.

Ruth 3:2a Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were?

According to Jewish law, it was the responsibility of a relative to marry the one who became a widow in his extended family. That way she could raise children in her deceased husband’s name. Naomi is telling Ruth, “Boaz is an eligible bachelor, and he is taking an interest in you.”

Ruth 3:2b See, He is winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor.

In other words, there is going to be a party tonight! The harvest is over. They are separating the grain from the chaff on the threshing floor, and they will be celebrating like they do only once a year.

You know what is like at harvest time here in Kansas. During most of the rest of the year, farmers tend to be pessimistic, and for good reason. Life on the farm is hard. They have invested a lot of money in their crop, and they depend on the harvest to pay their bills. However, a hail storm at the last minute could damage their crop and ruin them financially. Farmers, as a rule, don’t like to get their hopes up, lest they be disappointed. But at harvest time, when the grain is in the bin, they are ecstatic. It’s their annual payday!

It’s harvest time in Bethlehem, and Boaz is in a good mood. It’s a good time to propose. Naomi knows that, so she instructs Ruth…

Ruth 3:3-4 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.” (ESV)

Now, I know mothers-in-law are strange. But that’s the strangest advice I’ve ever heard – “Uncover his feet and lie down.” It certainly sounded strange to Ruth, but…

Ruth 3:5-6 “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. (ESV)

Ruth listened to her mother-in-law. She did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. More than any other voice, she paid attention to the voice of her family, and that’s what you need to do if you want to navigate well in our confusing times. Pay attention to your family more than all the other voices in our society.

That means, first of all, children, obey your parents more than your peers. Sometimes your parents’ advice may seem strange. But trust me: Life goes a whole lot smoother if you pay attention to your parents more than you pay attention to your friends.