by John O’Malley
“Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens” (Ruth 2:13).
Ruth fondly reviewed the compassionate words of Boaz spoken on the terraced hillside of his harvest fields. His words became planted in her soul. His words were growing a harvest of peace for her formerly burdened heart.
Ruth needed to hear Boaz’s message. She knew Boaz could have spoken the words to his servant to give to her, but Boaz spoke to her. Ruth was aware that Boaz could have just glibly spoken to her, but he spoke in friendly tones.
Boaz was not too busy to speak to Ruth, although many things may have been on his mind and heart that day. None of them were as important as the friendly words he spoke to Ruth. Boaz’s words comforted Ruth as she pondered his goodness and grace. Boaz’s words gave her the confidence that she was welcome in the field of his harvest and the field of his heart. His words were not simply the words of an employer. Boaz’s words sounded as if he had become caretaker of her heart. Yes, Boaz had taken on a new responsibility with Ruth; he had become a friend of her heart.
Our attention is drawn to the phrase, “thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid.”Ruth discovered both friendship and fellowship as Boaz spoke. Boaz spoke to her when he could have ignored her. His words embraced her heart and kindled her hope. Boaz could have given the facts to Ruth without any feeling, but he spoke friendly to Ruth.
Our Eternal Boaz does no less than what Boaz did for Ruth. Man’s recorded history from the Garden of Eden onward reveals that God has spoken friendly to His children. When the cool of the day arrived in Eden’s garden, God spoke friendly to Adam. When Enoch went on His daily walk with the Lord, certainly God spoke friendly to him. When Abram searched for answers, God spoke friendly to His friend. David found that God spoke friendly to him whether on green pastures, in cold caves, or even at his palace. The friendliest words spoken by God to mankind were spoken in the events surrounding the cross of Calvary.
Friendliness should be our distinction as we walk this earthly course. When you speak to those lost in sin, do you speak friendly to them? Do you speak friendly to your fellow servants of the Lord? We have both an earthly example in Boaz and an eternal example in our Eternal Boaz. Are you following the divine example of speaking friendly to sinners and saints?