Love is... (part 3)
Ruth's Bold Move: Seeking Security and Love
This is part three of my series in the Book of Ruth. We have passed the halfway point. We have gotten to know Ruth, and she is an amazing young woman of character. We have also met Boaz, a kind, godly man. Ruth has been with the young woman of Boaz, gleaning in his fields until the end of the barley and wheat harvest (Ruth 2:23 For more, check out Love is… Part 2.) It is not a stretch of the imagination to hope that romantic feelings would develop. Ruth needs a husband, and Boaz is a great guy, so why not? Let’s see what happens in Ruth 3.
Seeking Security
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?
— Ruth 3:1 NKJV
Ruth has been working hard, gleaning (see Love is… Part 2) to provide food not only for herself but for Naomi as well. Now Naomi springs into action to provide for Ruth, her daughter-in-law. Naomi refers to Ruth as “my daughter” this is how Naomi sees Ruth and this is the reason why she feels compelled to do what she is about to do. Naomi sees that it is up to her to secure Ruth’s future.
The Hebrew word translated as “security” in the NKJV (see other translations of Ruth 3:1) is מָנוֹחַ (mānôaḥ), and it means a place or rest, often a reference to a home. Interestingly, it is from the same root as the word used by Naomi on Ruth 1:9 מְנוּחָה (mᵊnûḥâ) (for more, see Love is… part 1) These two uses of this word (security/rest) give us a clearer picture of what it means, the security and tranquility a woman in ancient Israel longed for and expected to find in the home of a loving husband.
I believe the narrator uses this verbal link to invite us to read the following events in light of Naomi’s prayer in Ruth 1:8-9. (discussed in Love is… Part 1)
8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.”
So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.
— Ruth 1:8-9 NKJV
Side note
Sadly, I have met more than one male who believes the key to a happy relationship is uncertainty and fear of loss. They want the benefits of having a woman around, and they may even have children, but they shy away from lifelong commitment. The idea of a life dedicated to one woman, making her feel loved, secure, and cared for, scares them. These males are afraid that their love will not be reciprocated. They do not trust the woman to love and care for them if she is secure. So they keep the woman afraid that he might leave or abandon her. If this is your situation, you are not in a loving relationship and have not yet experienced love. You will experience love when you are fully committed and the other person freely chooses to love you and be fully committed to you in return. It sounds scary, and it is. Do not play with love if you are not willing to go all in. It is not easy. It is scary and hard work. You don’t have to get married. If you are happy single, that’s great, remain single. If you want a spouse and kids, find someone you are willing to go all in with. Do not settle for anything less than a lifelong and exclusive commitment. I am not saying it is easy, I am saying there is no better option.
When we consider Ruth chapter 2, we can also add that a godly husband functions as the wings of God, offering protection and security to all who dwell in his house. (for more, see Love is… part 2) Naomi’s motivation is clear; she is concerned about Ruth’s welfare. Because she wants to help Ruth, she comes up with a plan. It is worth noting that Naomi never mentions any concern for herself or for raising an heir for her sons, who died without having children. (levirate marriage Deuteronomy 25:5-6)
As in any healthy covenant relationship, these are two people who have committed themselves to the other’s good above their own.
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 681.
The setting
Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.
—Ruth 3:2 NKJV
Boaz is the two women’s near relative, and the sentence structure indicates that Naomi has in mind that Boaz is not simply “a” near relative but “the” kinsman who must fulfill the role she has in mind. Notice also how Naomi refers to Boaz as “our” relative, drawing Ruth in and highlighting their solidarity.
Boaz will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. Some cultural and historical insights will help us imagine the scene.
Barley was typically threshed at the onset of the dry season (late May–June), after all the grain, both barley and wheat, was cut and gathered. The best threshing floors involved rock outcrops on hilltops. The hard surface was needed to keep the grain free of dirt and to facilitate sweeping up the grains at the end of the day. The hilltop location was required to take advantage of the wind that would blow away the chaff when the threshed grain was tossed in the air with a fork, allowing the separated heavier kernels of grain to fall to the floor. This threshing floor probably was located in or near the field where Ruth had been gleaning, some distance from the town of Bethlehem (cf. v. 15). Boaz chose to do his winnowing at night, presumably because the night breezes were more desirable than the gusty winds of the daytime.
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 682.
The plan
3 Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.”
—Ruth 3:3-4 NKJV
Naomi never tells Ruth directly that the plan is for her to get married to Boaz, but she does provide a detailed plan that is reminiscent of a heist movie. Naomi has a plan to make Ruth as attractive as possible to Boaz and break down any potential resistance. It could be that Boaz never made a move out of respect for Ruth and her recent loss. Naomi is done waiting; she takes matters into her own hands and comes up with a plan.
First, Ruth should take a bath/wash. No need for explanation here.
Second, Ruth should apply perfume. The perfume was likely perfumed olive oil. Remember, it was hot and deodorants had not yet been invented.
Third, Ruth should put on her best dress. The word “best” is supplied by the translator and is not present in the Hebrew text. It seems to have been added due to context. Some have made a connection between Ruth 3:3-4 and Ezekiel 16:8-12 since both texts contain the sequence of bathing, applying perfume, and putting on garments in preparation for an encounter with a male. This approach assumes that Naomi is having Ruth follow a bride’s traditional preparation for marriage. But there is debate over this among Bible scholars. The counter-argument is that Boaz would have found such a brazen act would have caused Ruth to be rejected by Boaz, not accepted. Others see Naomi simply advising Ruth to make herself attractive to a man, but not necessarily in a seductive way. Contrast Naomi’s recommendation for Ruth to wear a dress with the account of the seductive dress found in Isaiah 3:19-23. Supporters of this interpretation also point out that there would be little point in wearing a fancy or seductive dress to go out in the dark and avoid being seen. Also, Naomi could have used a different term for garment; the one she used, שִׂמְלָה (śimlâ), often refers to an outer garment. In this case, Naomi is not telling Ruth to put on a seductive dress, but rather a garment that would keep her warm at night, especially if she will spend the night in the field.
According to Exod 22:25–26, poor people used this garment for a blanket at night. Since Ruth was a poor person going out to spend the night in the field, she will have needed this blanket to keep warm.
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 683.
Some have also compared Naomi’s instructions to Ruth to David’s actions recorded in 2 Samuel 12:20 when he finished mourning and went and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. In light of this text, another interpretation of Naomi’s instructions to Ruth would be for her to remove her garments of mourning or of widowhood, indicating that she was ready to consider marriage once again. This interpretation would also clarify why Boaz did not make the first move. If Ruth had been wearing her garments of mourning and widowhood as she gleaned in the field, Boaz would have respected her right to grieve the loss of her husband and not impose himself upon her until she was ready. We do not know how long women would wear “garments of widowhood” (Genesis 38:14, 19), but removing them would mean that Ruth is ready to return to normal life, and that would include the possibility of marriage if possible.
Fourth, Ruth should go down to the threshing floor, where Boaz will spend the night. Why would a respectable and wealthy man like Boaz spend the night outside the protection of the city walls? One possibility is to guard the fruit of his workers' hard labor from thieves and animals. I believe this is another indicator of how Boaz led his workers; he preferred to sleep with them out on the threshing floor rather than in the comfort of his house in the city. As a sagacious woman, Naomi told Ruth to remain hidden until Boaz had finished eating and drinking. Ladies, these are wise words. When a man is tired and hungry, it is not a good time to talk to him. Let him eat, let him relax a bit; this will significantly increase the chances of you experiencing a positive outcome to your conversation. Also, there is no indication that Boaz was drinking alcoholic beverages. The narrator is intentional in differentiating Ruth’s behavior from that of Lot’s daughters (Genesis 19:30-38) when they got Lot drunk to be impregnated by him. (For more on Genesis 19, check out Saved by Grace)
Fifth, while Ruth remains out of sight, she is to carefully observe where Boaz will lie down to sleep. After all, it would be disastrous to approach the wrong man in the dark, talk about an awkward encounter…
Sixth, Ruth is also to uncover Boaz’s “lower limbs” and go and lie down herself. Few, if any, other texts in the entire Book of Ruth have generated as much discussion as this command. A spicy take is that Naomi was commanding Ruth to engage in risque and seductive behavior, the kind that would make you blush. Without going into explicit details, it seems like in the cultural context, at winnowing time, the threshing floor became a place of illicit sexual behavior. The men were tired from a long day’s work; they were all sleeping away from the city, away from their families. It was dark, and they were sleeping next to what could be considered a pile of money. It does not take a stretch of the imagination to interpret Naomi’s plan along these lines, especially considering that Ruth was a Moabitess and this would not be too different from the story of Tamar in Genesis 38.
This interpretation is rendered all the more attractive by the fact that each of the three Hebrew words that make up this sentence is capable of more than one meaning, and each is capable of bearing an overtly sexual meaning. First, the root glh, “to uncover,” is often used in sexual contexts of “uncovering someone’s nakedness” (a euphemism for exposing the genitals) or of “uncovering someone’s skirt.”
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 685.
Supporting this use of “uncover” see Leviticus 18:6, 19; 20:11, 17–21; Ezekiel 22:10; Exodus 20:26; 2 Samuel 6:20; Genesis 9:21; Deuteronomy 22:30; 27:20.
But “uncover” is not the only word that can be used in sexual terms. The verb “to lie” is also often used to denote sexual relations. Except for Gen 30:15–16 and 2 Sam 11:11, the relations are always illicit (incest, homosexuality, bestiality, rape, seduction): Gen 19:32–33; Lev 20:11–13, 18, 20; Deut 22:25; 27:20–23; 15:22. (ibid)
Finally, the word used for “foot”, the dual and plural uses of it may be a euphemism for genitalia. Exod 4:25; Judg 3:24; 1 Sam 24:3 [4]; Isa 7:20 (all male); Deut 28:57; Ezek 16:25 (both female); Isa 6:2 (heavenly creatures). Occasionally, urine is called “water of the feet” (2 Kgs 18:27 = Isa 36:12). (ibid) The challenge with these words is that what dictates how they are to be interpreted is context.
It is not surprising that many interpret Naomi’s plan as dangerous and charged with sexual overtones. There is enough ambiguity in her language for her plan to be taken “the wrong way.” Even if you are not familiar with ancient customs, how would you feel about a plan that involves a woman bathing, putting on perfume, sneaking out in the middle of the night, uncovering a sleeping man’s leg, and lying down?
But this is not the only possible interpretation. If we knew nothing else about Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, maybe we could see it this way, but taking the narrative context and what we know about their character, we can also look at this plan differently. You could argue that there is no suggestion in Naomi’s tone or intention that her plan is meant to be interpreted sexually. Just because “uncover” and “lie down” can and are used in a sexual context, there are many times that these words mean exactly what they say. Uncover is not always a reference to uncovering someone’s nakedness. And from what we know about Naomi, it is unlikely that she would encourage Ruth to behave immorally. The picture the narrator paints of Naomi is consistently a positive one.
Also, the word Naomi used for feet is not exactly the one that sometimes gets used euphemistically. Naomi uses margᵊlôṯ and not reḡel, though both are translated as feet; only “regel” is used euphemistically. In line with the PG interpretation of Naomi’s plans is the fact that though she told Ruth to uncover Boaz’s lower limbs Naomi does not ask Ruth to lay next to him or at his feet, but simply to uncover his feet and go lay down and watch what happens.
For me, the strongest argument for the non-sexual interpretation of the plan is the narrator’s careful characterization of Naomi and Ruth up to this point.
Seventh, Ruth should wait for Boaz to give her further instructions. This reveals Naomi’s confidence in Boaz to do the right thing. Naomi could also be placing the future in God’s hands trusting God to lead Boaz and for Boaz to be sensitive to God’s leading.
Naomi’s plan is so delicate it should have the reader on the edge of her seat. The potential for disaster is extreme! You almost hold your breath as you read what happens next, knowing how this could go poorly. If we struggle with interpreting Naomi’s plan, imagine how Boaz would feel? What if Boaz did partake of alcoholic drinks and that, mixed with his dark and being half-asleep, he interprets Ruth’s advances as those of a prostitute and he treats he accordingly? What if he gets the wrong idea and, being a noble and virtuous man, rejects Ruth for being an immoral woman? What if Ruth uncovers the feet of the wrong man? What if Ruth is caught by the workers? How would she explain what she's doing there, clean and perfumed in the middle of the night? What if she never makes it to Boaz and is raped by someone as she wonders around in the dark beyond the city walls?
Naomi’s scheme is a gamble. Boaz has to interpret Ruth’s behavior favorably and decide to take her, a Moabitess, as his wife. The chances are high that Naomi’s plan will fail, and instead of finding peace and security with Boaz, Ruth will be shunned and be forever alone and vulnerable. It seems like the favorable response is the least likely one to take place.
What are the chances that Boaz will wake up and in his groggy state notice that Ruth has covered herself with a śimlâ rather than the seductive garb of a prostitute, that he will understand when she introduces herself, that he will respond favorably toward her, overlooking the irregularities of the situation (a woman proposing to a man, a younger person proposing to an older, a field worker proposing to the field owner, an alien proposing to a native), and that, in fulfillment of Naomi’s words, he will give Ruth rational instructions concerning how to proceed? But by this time Naomi’s faith is strong. She has confidence in Boaz’s integrity and apparently in the hidden hand of God to govern his reactions when he awakes.
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 687–688.
Ruth’s response to Naomi’s plan
And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”
—Ruth 3:5 NKJV
Ruth actually agrees with Naomi’s crazy plans! As we hold our collective breath for what will happen next, the narrator challenges us to have as much faith in God as Naomi and Ruth do. The first scene closes, and we are left wondering if this dangerous and delicate plan will actually work.
The implementation of the plan
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet.
— Ruth 3:6-8 NKJV
Here is how I imagine this taking place.
As evening approaches, Ruth goes to bathe. The water soothes her aching feet and calloused hands. The water turns dark from sweat and dust, and husks of grain. She washes her hair and gets rid of all the knots. She dries herself and puts on a clean garment. She feels like a new person. No more widow or mourning garments. She does her hair, and her heart races. How will Boaz react when he sees her? Could she really get married and be happy, safe, and cared for? A man like Boaz could have anyone he wanted; would he be interested in a widow and a foreigner? She had nothing to offer him except her love and devotion. What if he rejected her?
Her hair is done. She anoints herself with fragrant oil. She briefly wonders how Naomi was able to find her some fragrant oil, but she loves the smell. She feels like a woman. Perhaps Boaz will want to marry her, and together they can be happy. Ruth kisses Naomi and begins to make her way to the threshing floor. She is familiar with the way there, though it looks different at night. As Ruth approaches the threshing floor, she can hear the workers talking, telling stories, and laughing. The men are gathered around a fire. There is a gentle breeze, and Ruth is glad she wore a thick garment that keeps her warm at night. She continues to watch the men from the shadows at a safe distance. She admires how Boaz interacts with his workers and treats them with kindness and respect. The men are happy to work for Boaz, who wouldn’t be? Boaz is wise, fair, and kind. Ruth imagines what life might be like married to a kind and capable man like Boaz.
Slowly, the men begin to find a place to sleep. Ruth watches carefully where Boaz lies down. The fire is dying, and no more wood is added. Ruth carefully and silently makes her way to where Boaz is sleeping. Like a sweet-smelling ninja, she makes he way to Boaz undetected by anyone. The men worked hard all day, and with their bellies full, they soon snored in deep, well-deserved sleep. Ruth finds Boaz and uncovers his feet. She’s not sure if she did it the right way. Her heart is racing; she is hyper-sensitive to any and all sounds. It seems like Boaz is still sleeping. So she lies down also. She followed her mother-in-law’s plan exactly; now she has to wait; the next move belongs to Boaz.
At the darkest portion of the night, Boaz suddenly wakes up! He’s not sure why he woke up, but now that he is up, he notices something. Something is different. Is there someone sleeping at his feet? Is that a woman? What is a woman doing on his threshing floor?
Who are you?
9 And he said, “Who are you?”
So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”
—Ruth 3:9 NKJV
Since this story takes place during the period of the judges (see Ruth 1:1 and Love is… part 1), it would not be surprising if the average Israelite welcomed the night visit of an unknown woman, interpreting her presence as an offer of sexual favors. But this is not an average Israelite; this is Boaz, a man who loves God. It is dark out, and Boaz can’t tell who it is, so he asks the question, “Who are you?” This greatly improved from his previous question, “To whom does she belong?” From Ruth 2:5 (see Love is… part 2).
Ruth gives Boaz a straight answer: “I am your servant, Ruth.” Ruth takes this opportunity to shift the attention from her to Boaz. This is fascinating because she is a lowly servant, and he is the master; she is an uninvited visitor on his property; she is a woman, he is a man; she is a foreigner, he is a native. Ruth also defines who Boaz is, a close relative. Next, Ruth clearly and directly asks Boaz to marry her.
The idiom she used may be puzzling to the modern reader, but there was no question about its meaning in the Israelite context in which it was given. Literally pāraś ānāp ʿal translates “to spread one’s wing over.” One recognizes immediately a play on 2:12, where kĕnāpîm, “wings,” had served as a metaphor for the refuge that Yahweh, the God of Israel provides.
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 691.
The word kānāp is gloriously ambiguous, referring not only to the wings of a bird but also to a skirt, the corners of one’s flowing garments. Ruth’s words could literally be interpreted as a request to Boaz to cover her and protect her from the chill of the night. He is not the only one shivering (due to his exposed feet). But wait! There is more to her demand, because in common Hebrew usage, “to spread one’s wings over someone” was a figurative phrase referring to marriage. (See Deut 22:30; 27:20; Mal 2:16; Ezek 16:8.) The gesture of a man covering a woman with his garment was a symbolic act, which according to Near Eastern custom signified “the establishment of a new relationship and the symbolic declaration of the husband to provide for the sustenance of the future wife.”(Block, 691)
Ruth is bold and direct. What follows is the strongest argument against the sexual interpretation of Naomi’s plan. Boaz understands what Ruth is asking for; he does not see Ruth’s actions as a proposition for sex. Boaz responds in a way that makes it clear that he understood Ruth’s request for marriage, and that it was nothing immoral or illicit.
Boaz’s response
10 Then he said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.
—Ruth 3:10-11 NKJV
Boaz does not curse Ruth or reject her as an immoral woman. Instead, he blesses her. Boaz’s blessing reminds us of Naomi’s blessing upon him. (Ruth 2:20 Love is… Part 2) Boaz’s first words are extremely important because we have been holding our breath to find out how he will react to Ruth’s actions.
How is it that, being awakened at midnight in a most unusual and compromising situation, he knows exactly what Ruth has meant by her veiled speech, and he commends her for it? These are hardly the flippant words of one who has been seduced by a woman of the night. Again the reader is inclined to see the hidden hand of God guiding not only the actions of individuals but their reactions and their dispositions so that in the end Yahweh’s agenda is fulfilled. Boaz’s words have the ring of divine inspiration.
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 692–693.
Hesed
Surprisingly, Boaz praised Ruth for her demonstration of hesed (love/display of family loyalty and devotion). Boaz must be referencing his previous words recorded in Ruth 2:11, where he talks about her abandonment of her home country to be with Naomi and her people. This was a sign of hesed (kindness/love) towards Naomi but how is Ruth’s current behavior a demonstration of hesed?
Boaz clarifies that Ruth did not go after younger or more desirable men. Boaz must not be that old if he is able to put in a full day of work with his worker and sleep outdoors by the grain. He is well off and respected, but he points out that Ruth did not go around looking for young men or rich men; she stayed with him. Boaz interpreted this as an act of hesed (kindness/loyalty/love)
The issue revolves around Ruth’s use of the word gōʾēl, “kinsman-redeemer.” Ruth’s primary demand is simply that he marry her, but Boaz knows as soon as she utters this word that the stakes are higher, and this is what triggers his interpretation of her words as an act of ḥesed; they represent kindness and grace for the benefit of someone else.
—Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 694.
I love how now Boaz tells Ruth that he will do all that she requests. He is in a position of power, yet he submits to her request to do for her what she needs him to do. His reasoning for this is that she is clearly a virtuous woman. This is incontrovertible evidence that Ruth had no immoral intentions with Boaz this evening. Boaz points out that everyone knows that Ruth is a woman of character, and he is willing to do what she asks, because of who she is.
Ruth did not gain her reputation by scheming and manipulation. She was not chasing wealth and status; she was not playing political games and mingling with the important people of her community. Instead, Ruth embodied Israel’s lofty covenant standards. Her hesed shone through; her love, loyalty, and kindness to the family of her deceased husband and her widowed mother-in-law won her the praise of all. Boaz could have mistreated her, called her Moabite trash, and accused her of scavenging in the garbage of Israel and corrupting the people with her immoral behavior. But Boaz also demonstrates hesed, and sees the value in Ruth, and treats her as a woman of status like his own.
A closer relative?
12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning.”
—Ruth 3:10-13 NKJV
The fact that Boaz knows that there is someone closer to Elimelech (Ruth’s deceased father-in-law) than he is evidence that he has been looking into this. Though Boaz had not made a move, it seems to me like he has done his homework, which means that this possibility had crossed his mind. Perhaps he was waiting for Ruth to put away her garments of widowhood; we can’t know for sure.
Boaz promises to look into this, and if the other man is not willing to perform the duty of a close relative, he will, for sure! Then he tells Ruth to go back to sleep. How can she sleep after this!? I bet the excitement and anxiety regarding a possible wrinkle in her/Naomi’s plan made it difficult for her to sleep that night. But one thing was for sure, she was not rejected; she would be protected and provided for. God was with her!
Early the next morning
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Also he said, “Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.
—Ruth 3:14-15 NKJV
Ruth and Boaz are concerned about the appearance of evil, so to avoid rumors and to protect their name, they get up very early, and Boaz gives Ruth a generous gift to take home. There is debate over the last phrase; the weight of the evidence seems to indicate that Boaz went into the city because he had business to take care of.
The results of Naomi’s scheme
16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Is that you, my daughter?”
Then she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ”
18 Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”
—Ruth 3:16-18 NKJV
Ruth tells Naomi all that happened, and I can imagine Naomi with a big smile on her face! Her plan had worked after all.
Practical application
Trust in God, and show up.
Maybe the plan is flawed. Perhaps it is a long shot. But continue to show up in a loving and kind way. Never resort to deceit, never go outside of God’s will. Trust in God’s character; He loves you and will never forsake you. Just keep showing up and see what God does next.
