Living in the Spirit
November 5, 2018
Scripture Reading: Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17
Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, ‘My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing-floor. Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.’ She said to her, ‘All that you tell me I will do.’ –Ruth 3:1-5
Some have this romantic idea that marriage results from being swept off one’s feet in love and those couples live happily ever after. Our history tells us marriage is much more complicated than that. One of my grandmother’s first marriage may have followed that scenario but six children later her husband was struck by lightning and killed while driving a tractor in a field. She had little or no means of support but began cleaning house, cooking, and caring for the children of a man whose wife was killed in a car accident leaving him with eight children. They eventually married and had three children including my father. I am sure survival and mutual, complementary needs contributed to that marriage.
I thought of my grandparents when I read this scripture about Ruth and Boaz. Hard times demand practical solutions. What I find interesting about Ruth and Boaz is that they both seemed to be people of good character. She committed to staying with her vulnerable mother-in-law; he ordered his harvesters to leave some grain in the fields for the hungry to glean after the workers completed their task.
I guess what I get from this story is that keeping our lives in alignment with God is our primary objective in life. When we do that all else will fall into place no matter what hardships we face. This alignment begins an ends with loving God an loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Prayer: Lord, open my whole being to follow your Spirit’s guidance in all aspects of my life. Amen.