Is It Really A Small World?!! ♡♡♡

 

"One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it. Naomi replied, "All right, my daughter, go ahead." So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech" - Ruth 2:2-3

Have you ever had one of those rare moments, where you bump into someone that knows someone, you know on a random day? Perhaps at an interview, and you get talking, only for them to name drop someone you know. Someone really close to you in your life. And you are like, "oh wow, it's such a small world". We say this often, because really, what are the odds? 

I like how scripture says "She found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law" - What really are the odds?  She found herself, but God ordered her steps. We are all too familiar with the story of Ruth in the bible. A loyal foreigner who chose to stay faithful to her mother in-law Naomi in the most difficult of all times. Even Ruth herself, had endured her own fair share of suffering. Nevertheless, she persisted even when there was no real proof that things would turn around for good. Naomi, her mother in-law had lost everything in a land [Moab] they thought to have been thier greener pasture. Scripture tells us that Ruth clung unto Naomi. She won't let go. But that's not where I am going, please follow me.

The story then takes us on an exciting ride at the very beginning of Ruth chapter 2. After Naomi and Ruth had now made thier way back to Bethlehem to Naomi's people, upon thier hearing that the Lord had now blessed his people by giving them good crops again Ruth 1:6. Scripture says that, one day, Ruth asked Naomi if she could go into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind. What a relentless woman. In my own eyes, she was full of hope. Even if the stalks of grain were the ones left behind, she was not going to wallow in self pity but at least try. She thought "perhaps one person would look upon me with favour". Her mother in-law gives her blessing. Ruth "finds herself" working in a field that belonged to not just "anybody" that could look upon her with favor, but a relative. A relative of Naomi's husband. One of the family's redeemer. Reminds me of that other story in 1 Samuel where Saul is looking for his father's donkey and in another breath is being crowned king :)

 Don't you just love how God is in the detail? Small world indeed :)

My job and your job is not about knowing the how, the when or the who. It's really about holding firmly unto God, trusting in him even when things appear uncertain. Ruth's heart was right, her intentions and motives were pure and trust God to be at home in the hearts of people like that. Ruth went ahead to do what was right in front of her and God met her along the way. This story gives me goosebumps and a lot of joy. "When you don't know what to do, do the thing in front of you" - Elisabeth Elliot said it.

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and do not let your hands rest in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper". Ecclesiastes 11:6

I'd like to believe all the whilst Ruth lived with Naomi, she was taking notes about the God of Israel :) We are without excuse, we can learn a thing or two from Ruth's attitude too.

Love,

SR