Ruth 3:1-5 Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
3 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But 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.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”
SOAP: Ruth 3:3-4
Naomi tells Ruth to go to Boaz and appeal to him as the Kinsman Redeemer. From our perspective, this plan seems a bit risqué, but Naomi is actually counseling Ruth to humble herself and adopt a posture of a servant. Boaz was a man of character, and Ruth was appealing to His integrity by asking him to meet her need.
Ruth never questioned Naomi’s instructions. She submitted to the authority over her and trusted that Naomi knew best. Do we have a heart that is quick to obey like Ruth? God’s ways often seem contrary to what we consider reasonable, but our job is not to “understand,” our job I to trust God and quickly obey.
Lord, help us to obey quickly and trust that Your directives for us are right even when we don’t fully understand Your plan. Amen.