What About Ruth?

Ruth 1:16
16But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."

You often hear about Ruth waiting on Boaz but rarely do you hear about the qualities of Ruth that caused her to receive favor through a man such as Boaz. Ruth was a Moabite woman. What makes the verse above so special is the love and loyalty Ruth had for her mother-in-law Naomi. More importantly, her willingness to come to know God. The history of where Ruth comes from makes her statement to Naomi so significant. Moabs are the descendants of Lot's oldest daughter who assisted in getting her father drunk in order to be impregnated by him after fleeing from Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed it. So now you understand that Moabite women had a very "not so clean" history. As the leader goes, so do the followers. Ruth experienced God through the love of Naomi and did not wish to go back to the life she previously knew. Ruth was a woman who did not want to turn back to a wicked people or past. BLESS GOD!!

Ruth 2:2
2And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and pick up the left over grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor."

Ruth was willing to support Naomi. Remember, both women were widows and had no man to support them. Ruth stepped up to do so which shows strength. She was a worker!! She kept busy. Ruth was not idle in the field. When Boaz asked the foreman later who was the woman in the field as he did not recognize her among the workers, the foreman said the following;

Ruth 2:7b "She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter."

Boaz and the foreman took notice of Ruth not for her throwing her hips in their face nor even her looks but because she showed strength and willingness to work in the field to support both her and the woman of God they all knew. (Hint for both women and men)

Ruth 3:11
11 And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.

This is the turning point in the story because Boaz had already been watching over because she was working in his field. Ruth and Naomi already had property. Yes, Ruth already had something to bring to the table. The custom was for the right man, a kinsman, to take the responsibility of caring for a widow and her property. Boaz knew it was dangerous for Ruth to be working in the field so he kept an eye on her. He protected her. A man such as Boaz wants to protect a good woman. From the first day she was in the field, Ruth was watched by all men because she was a worker. Boaz referred to her as a woman of noble character. Ruth was a  Proverbs 31 woman. She not only had something of value but she showed love, loyalty, strength and her hands were not idle.

Women, are you portraying the qualities of Ruth? Men, are you SEEKING a woman like Ruth?( emphasis on man's responsibility to seek) A king's mother told him the story about the the type of woman to have and it was indeed a Proverbs 31 woman. A woman such as Ruth. So what about Ruth?