Another Woman’s Provision

Now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids you were? Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight. Ruth 3:2

The seeds of faith we plant now may seem small, but the harvest will be huge. Are you struggling with feeling like your works are insignificant?

When we read the book of Ruth, we almost solely talk about her mother-in-law. As Ruth married Boaz, she gained a new one, who was probably already dead. But that doesn’t mean that she didn’t have an impact on her daughter-in-law.

As I was studying about Rahab, Boaz’s mother, I came across an interesting fact. When she hid the Hebrew spies on her roof in Jericho, she hid them underneath flax bundles. What I didn’t know, until now, was that flax was harvested at the same time as barley. Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem right after Passover, at the beginning of the barley harvest. As Ruth provided for current her mother-in-law, Naomi, she was unaware that she was about to be blessed and provided for because of the faithfulness of Rahab, her future mother-in-law. This righteous woman helped the spies out of faith to protect her family. Ruth went to work in the fields to feed and provide for her mother-in-law.

Rahab and Ruth both planted seeds of faithfulness during the same season, many years apart. Little did either one of them know that their actions would bring about blessing for more than just their immediate families. Someday, King David and then Jesus would come directly from their family line. Redemption for us all.

Today, as we work, as we take care of our friends and family, let’s remember that what we do isn’t insignificant at all. It may bring redemption that is far reaching.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for planning my life all in advanced. Thank you for the saints that came before me and their faithfulness to You. May those who come after me see Your mark on my life.
In Jesus Name Amen