So
she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her
mother-in-law had commanded her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart
was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came
secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down.
When the work is done, it is time to celebrate—to party. That will make a merry heart. Like it says in Ecclesiastes 9:7 (NASB) Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Joyful, merry, cheerful. It is certain that Boaz was happy, content and pleased with his barley harvest. God had blessed him. Now he just wanted to lie down and rest on the pile of grain that he and his workers threshed and winnowed that evening.
When someone is sleeping and you uncover their feet,
they may wake up. Surprise. Will it be a huge surprise to Boaz to find Ruth
sleeping at his feet? What was going on? Good women don’t go around sleeping
near someone they aren’t married to…unless their mother-in-law tells them to do
just that. Ruth’s actions in that time were not immoral. Naomi told Ruth to watch—and see where Boaz lies down.
Naomi knew it would be near the grain, to keep it safe from thieves. By
uncovering his feet, Ruth was getting his attention, and then she would need to
listen to him. For now, Ruth is being
obedient to her mother-in-law and following her instructions. What will merry
hearted Boaz tell her to do?
Spiritually do we have merry or joyful hearts? What
does it mean to be joyful—full of joy? This comes back to the fruit of the
Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-25, But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions
and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Paul
was teaching here in Galatians that if we have love, joy, peace, and other
attributes of the Spirit, then we should also “walk” by the Spirit or do things
that share and live out those attributes. Do we show the love, joy, peace,
patience…and not just enjoy those qualities for ourselves?
Lord Jesus, help us
to be observant like Ruth and to listen to others around us, that we would be
able to share the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control with which You so richly fill our lives.
© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
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