Kindness + “Kindness is Powerful”
Kindness Is Powerful .
This morning, I began to read Ruth 3, and was almost immediately broken by the Scriptures. There is such unselfishness on display throughout this story. Such preferential treatment of others. KINDNESS so clearly on display. It is incredibly moving. Kindness is woven so beautifully throughout the story, but there are two particular pieces that “popped off the pages” today. In chapter 2, vv. 8-9, Boaz, the ‘hero of the story’ shows some very preferential treatment to Ruth, the heroine. In v. 10, we see a beautiful picture unfold: “Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, ‘Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, a stranger?’” Boaz’s response is so telling as to the impact of personal kindness and loyalty. KINDNESS IS POWERFUL! “And Boaz said unto Ruth, “It hath been fully showed to me, all that thou hast done unto they Mother-in-law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and are come to a people which thou knowest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work and a full reward be give thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou are come to trust.” (Heart eyeballs emoji here! I love that line!)
It was Ruth’s kindness to Naomi that first caught Boaz’s attention and caused him to take note. Her kindness towards Naomi earns her a permanent place in his field (2:8), protection from the male laborer’s (2:9), water whenever she is thirsty—“drawn by the young men” (2:9), an invitation to lunch (2:14), (which there were leftovers from—more on that later), and a command to his servants to even allow her to “glean among the sheaves” (2:15) and to intentionally leave behind “handfuls of purpose” behind for her. (2:16) The NLT says: “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time. Boaz had merely heard of Ruth’s kind, loyal, and sacrificial acts towards Naomi, but that was enough to evoke generosity and benevolence. At the end of the day, she is able to take an ephah (about 3/5’s of a bushel) of barley home to her mother-in-law because of Boaz’s returned kindness.
One little kindness bunny trail: leftovers: ( 😊 again) After Boaz’s offer of lunch, we read this: “And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached (“handed out”) her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.” The NLT says: “…and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.” NET says, “She ate until she was full, and saved the rest.” That evening, when Ruth returns home to Naomi and shows her the barley, v. 18 says: “Then Ruth gave her the roasted grain she had saved from mealtime.” (NET) Ruth ate just enough, until she was satisfied, so she would have something to share with Naomi. She ate sparingly, not over-indulging herself so she could share generously.
And, now, back to our regularly scheduled programming:
In v. 20, after Naomi sees the generosity Boaz had displayed to Ruth, she proclaims the KINDNESS of God over Boaz: “Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and the dead.” She reveals to Ruth that he is “near of kin to us.” A “kinsmen” at that time was one who had legal obligation of caring for the wives/families of close relatives who were deceased. The Hebrew word is “go-el” and I read this in the Archaeological Study Bible: “At heart, it is and EXCEEDINGLY GRACIOUS WORD: it refers to the “next of kin” who possesses the right to take on whatever need may have overwhelmed his kinsman or kinswoman. We see it at it’s human best here in the book of Ruth and at it’s highest form when our Lord Himself is called our go-el: (Isaiah 43:14). Wow.
The Plot of this beautiful story thickens.
Ruth continues to work in Boaz’s field until the end of “barley harvest and wheat harvest.” Her kindness had opened the door for her and Naomi’s immediate physical needs to be cared for.
Chapter 3 opens in another beautiful display of kindness: Naomi says to Ruth: “MY daughter, I must seek a home for you, so you will be provided for.” Naomi unselfishly considers Ruth’s future and security. Naomi knows she will not always be around and looks to find a safe, secure future for this sweet girl whose loyalty and kindness had cost her all she had previously known.
Naomi begins to plot a bold and potentially scandalous plan. She gives Ruth instructions to non-verbally “ask” Boaz to fulfill his role as kinsman redeemer and marry her. Though the plan would seem to most potentially forward, Ruth’s response to Naomi is: “All thou sayest unto me, I will do.” She does not second-guess Naomi or rearrange things to make herself “look better.” She simply follows Naomi’s designs. “And she went down unto the floor and did according to all her mothers-in-law’s bidding.” (3:6)
I will not get into all the details of the story here, because that is its whole own beautiful scene, but we see Ruth uncover Boaz’s feet after he falls asleep following the “harvest party,” and laid herself down by them. “And it came to pass, at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself, and behold a woman lay at his feet. And he said, “Who art thou?” And she said, “I am Ruth, thine handmaiden: spread therefore thine skirt over thine handmaiden; for thou art a near kinsmen.” (And I love this verse!) The he said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter, For you have showed more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether rich or poor.” (vv. 8-10)
I am not going to try to dissect on a deep theological level the exact reason’s why Boaz interprets Ruth’s actions as even greater kindness than she has already shown. I’m sure there is so much more in the text that I don’t understand or see, but he clearly states, “…thou hast shewed more kindness…as thou followest not young men, whether rich or poor.” (v.10) Clearly, Ruth could’ve pursued someone younger, maybe more attractive, someone more at her season of life, but Ruth showed kindness by quickly and concisely following Naomi’s instruction. Ruth displays kindness by honoring Hebrew tradition and customs that she, as a Moabitess, was not required to follow and probably did not understand. And Ruth showed kindness in not pursuing youth—something which would have been more attractive for HER. Boaz now says: “And now my daughter, Fear not, I will do all that thou requirest…”
The story continues and we see Boaz and Ruth married and giving birth to a baby boy. After the baby is born, the ladies of Bethlehem say to Naomi: “Praise the Lord, who has provided a redeemer for our family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than 7 sons.” Ruth’s kindness became her reputation. Ruth’s kindness brought healing to Naomi: “Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as her own. The neighbor women came and said, ‘now at least Naomi has a son again, and they named him Obed…” Ruth’s kindness brought a sweet ending to Naomi’s bitter story.
Kindness is powerful.
It was Ruth’s kindness that first caught Boaz’s attention and opened the door for her and Naomi’s physical needs to be met. It was her kindness toward him that became the unfolding of a beautiful love story that so beautifully foreshadows the love story of Christ and the Church.
“…and they called his name Obed, he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.” Ultimately, Ruth’s kindness made her the great-grandmother of King David; her kindness was the thing that saw a poor Moabite widow scripted into the lineage of Jesus himself. Her kindness allowed God to write her in as a key player in His master plan of redemption. Now that is pretty incredible!!!
Last night, as I was driving home, God reminded me that Ruth’s kindness was expensive kindness. This was not “take cookies across the street kindness,” though God does honor kindness on every level…this was costly, lay-down-all-your-own-hopes sort of kindness. The initial kindness and loyalty she had showed to Naomi early on in the story required that she leave behind all that was familiar and comfortable. She had left the land of her birth. She had left family. Her kindness caused her to cling to Naomi (1:14) and leave behind the gods she had previously served. “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God…” (1:16) Ruth’s kindness came with a high price tag, but, in the end, Ruth discovered that kindness also pays high dividends.
No act of kindness goes unseen by a kind God. “…for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of GREAT KINDNESS…” He knows the sacrifices behind the kindnesses we choose to display, and He will reward. Maybe here. Maybe in eternity. But He will. He is a KIND God who notices kind deeds.