by John O’Malley
“Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day” (Ruth 3:18).
With Boaz’s gesture of kindness in sending the barley, Naomi’s response indicates what had changed in her life since the day she left Moab. Gone are the days of a broken heart as she buried both husband and children. The word “Mara—bitter” has disappeared from her speech. No more accusations are heard of how the hand of the Almighty was against her. Nor do we hear how the Lord had made her empty at all.
Naomi’s testimony has changed slowly. The pictures of these changes are throughout this Book as we are given snapshots of her spiritual development. Her words, “Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall,”reveal these changes.
She had been through enough to know that the hand of the Almighty had not made her bitter; He had made her better (1:20). She now could see that He had exchanged her emptiness for fullness (1:21). Furthermore, she now declared that His testimony did not oppose her, but rather opened her eyes (1:21). Now, having been through the harvest with Boaz and Ruth, Naomi could say, “He did not afflict me; He affected me for good” (1:21).
When Ruth came home after gleaning with Boaz (2:20), we see Naomi’s spiritual progress yet again. Naomi made it clear that Jehovah was being kind to them; He was not trying to kill them. Naomi was changing from a woman of pity to a woman of praise.
Now, at the end of the third chapter, we see yet another change in her spiritual development. This change is one that indicates she learned that it is better to wait for God to move than it is to move things yourself as she and Elimelech had done. Naomi had been through enough at this point to know God was in control. She knew enough to counsel Ruth, “It is better to wait on Boaz than to work things out for yourself.” As it should be with every believer, Naomi grew enough to put her confidence in Him instead of complaining about Him.
Child of God, it is always better to wait on our Eternal Boaz to arrange our lives. Any attempt to arrange your life’s order will only bring frustration. Today, look back at all He has done for you. Has He not brought you through enough just to trust Him today? Then listen to Naomi’s advice that comes from experience: “Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall.”