October 22 | Loyalty on the Threshing Floor | Ruth | Maron Gaffron

In the next chapter of this story Ruth returns to the threshing floor of Boaz and follows Naomi’s instructions to show him her love and interest. When Boaz realizes Ruth’s desire to marry him, he is moved by her deep loyalty – loyalty first to Naomi, then to him. Although the cultural nuances of the story may seem a bit odd to us compared to modern love stories, we still see a beautiful relationship kindled in the most unlikely of ways – a foreign widow and a landowning Israelite. Who would have expected that? Although Ruth is an outsider to everyone in this story, her deep loyalty to her family and to Israel’s God is a moving testimony to others. Yet again we see God’s hand at work in the way he carefully shapes and develops Ruth’s heart. With just as many reasons to be bitter as her mother-in-law, Ruth instead chooses the path of obedience, loyalty, and love and is rewarded for her faithfulness to God’s intentions. In the same way we see Boaz demonstrating his loyalty to Ruth by his commitment to earn her hand in marriage legitimately.