RUTH: WOMAN OF DEVOTION – SERMON III: A CAREGIVER WHO MADE SACRIFICES
Ruth 2:8-12
Ruth was the daughter-in-law of a Jewish woman by the name of Naomi. You will recall that Naomi and her Jewish family had moved to the land of Moab during a time when famine blanketed their home land of Palestine.
In Moab, Naomi’s two sons met and married two Moabite women, one of who was named Ruth. Within a short time, tragedy struck this family when Naomi lost not only her husband but also her two sons - which of course left all three women widowed.
As the three widows struggled to provide for their needs, Naomi and Ruth developed a very close relationship. The two of them loved each other.
They had a lot in common, and they got along well.
The account of their relationship reminds me of the closeness of my own mother with my oldest sister-in-law who herself had been raised in an orphan home; but when my daddy died and left my mother with ten living children, three of whom were old enough to work, but seven of us still living at home, the wife of my oldest brother expressed her desire to take us into her home in another state and help my mother take care of us kids. She and my mother became very close in their relationship.
When the time came for us to return to Georgia, my sister-in-law came back with us – that was in 1943 – and she has lived in the Atlanta area ever since. Today she lives in the assisted living section of Christian City.
Just this week, my only living sister and I visited this beloved member of our family to join others in celebrating her 91st birthday. Her name is Alice; she is the matriarch of our family; and we are grateful that God has seen fit to keep her around all these years for us to enjoy her friendship – even though she has gotten a little ornery in her old age.
Well, Naomi and Ruth had the kind of relationship that prompted Ruth to return to Bethlehem with Naomi after the famine ended and it was time for Naomi to go back home to live in her native land.
Ruth returning to Bethlehem with Naomi was nothing less than an act of love.
We have learned already that Ruth was such a caring person that she made a vow to Naomi that wherever her mother-in-law went, Ruth would go; wherever Naomi lived, Ruth would live; wherever Naomi died, there Ruth would die and be buried alongside her mother-in-law. What devotion!
Then we learned that Ruth was so devoted to keeping her promise that she took the initiative to get a job to provide for the needs of both herself and her mother-in-law.
Ruth went out into the fields during the barley harvest and asked for permission to go behind the reapers and pick up any barley grains missed or dropped by the reapers. Poor folks in those days were allowed by law to glean the fields for leftovers; so, they were called gleaners.
Ruth became a gleaner – and she was a good one! So good that she gained the recognition of the field bosses, and they in turn pointed her out to the wealthy land owner by the name of Boaz.
Boaz was so impressed with her that he went out into the field where she was working, and he spoke to her. He told her to remain in his field, and not to go to anyone else’s field. He offered her water to drink. He told her that he had instructed his men not to touch her.
Well, you can imagine that Ruth was so moved by his kind words that she fell before him, and she asked Boaz how she had found favor in his sight. After all, she was a stranger (a foreigner).
Now we need to understand that Bethlehem was a small town where everyone knew everyone else. Naomi’s return had been news – or you might say gossip – that had made the rounds of everybody in the town.
Boaz had heard about her even though he had never met her. He knew that her husband had died and that she had made a commitment to stay with Naomi and take care of her. He understood that she was gleaning in the field to provide for herself and her mother-in-law. You might say that this wealthy Jewish landowner was aware of the sacrifices this woman from another country had made.
She had left her father and her mother and all the security that she would have received if she had returned to her own home. She had left the land of her birth and come to live among people who were foreigners and strangers to her. She had made these sacrifices for Naomi’s sake.
Boaz obviously was impressed by what Ruth had done and what she had given up. Being a man of faith, he blessed her by asking God to reward her for her sacrificial service. “May you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge”!
Ruth told Boaz that his words comforted and encouraged her. Boaz asked her to eat with him and his reapers. Before leaving, Boaz told the reapers to leave some of the grain for her to pick up. Ruth ended up with “about 26 quarts of barley” – far more than she would have had otherwise.
You can imagine how thrilled Naomi was when Ruth told her about Boaz. Naomi exclaimed to Ruth, “He is one of our family redeemers”!
Naomi got so excited about Ruth meeting Boaz that she suggested a bold strategy to call Boaz’s attention to his role as family redeemer. Ruth successfully carried out the plan - to such an extent that Boaz agreed that he would be glad to fulfill the role of family redeemer; however, he pointed out to Ruth that there was one catch to the plan.
There was another family member older than Boaz and therefore closer in kinship to their ancestors. This is something Naomi had not thought about, but it was something that Boaz was willing to deal with.
By the time all of this had taken place, Ruth’s new friend Boaz had become so fond of her, and she of him, that they agreed among themselves that Boaz would go to the older kinsman the next day and make a proposal to him in the hope that he would refuse to take on the responsibility of taking care of the two women; and if the other kinsman did in face refuse to assume responsibility, then the way would be clear for Boaz – the one Naomi and Ruth really wanted to be their redeemer – to assume responsibility. Boaz wanted to do so, Naomi and Ruth wanted him to be their redeemer, but they would just have to wait and see how it went the next day.
We shall find out next week how it turned out; but for right now, let us conclude this part of the story of Ruth by gleaning several inspirational thoughts from what we have learned so far:
If our care giving is sincere, we shall be willing to make sacrifices, if necessary, on behalf of those we love. All of us know husbands or wives who literally have given their lives to care for a seriously ill spouse.
The same is true of parents who care for needy children, and of children who care for aging parents.
Of course, the ones needing care also have lost something – health or the ability to function as they once did; but in most cases their losses were not chosen but imposed by forces beyond their control. Such folks really do appreciate those who voluntarily make sacrifices for them, as did Ruth.
Also, let us not forget the many people whose jobs involve caring for others. Those professional or vocational caregivers – especially those who are Christians – see what they do as a calling from God; and so, should we.
Boaz took the time to commend Ruth for the sacrifices she had made to care for Naomi; likewise, shouldn’t we take a moment to commend those who care for us? The Christian way is to honor those to whom honor is due and to commend those who serve God by serving others.
The two most powerful words in the English language are these:
“Thank you.” So, “thank you” for giving to me the opportunity to share with you my thoughts and my prayers. Thank You, Lord, for your goodness and mercy that shall follow us all the days of our lives! Amen.
