by John O’Malley
“And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not” (Ruth 2:16).
In chapter twenty-four of Deuteronomy, God told the Israelites three things concerning their harvesting of grapes, olives, and grains. These instructions were to benefit those who were strangers, widows, and fatherless. God gave these instructions so there would be provision for these who could not provide for themselves.
If the farmer had vineyards, he was to gather grapes only once and not to glean them later. If a man had olive trees, when it came time to beat the tree trunks and branches so they could harvest the olives, they were not to return to beat the trees again. If a farmer had field crops to harvest and they were gathering sheaves in the field and dropped a sheaf by accident, they were not to return after it.
God’s provision in His agricultural laws for the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows came with a blessing. God specifically promised to bless anyone that blessed those that had been disadvantaged by death and displacement. Boaz knew God’s laws and desired to follow them and to do even more than was required.
Boaz spoke that day with both local authority and divine authority to his workers when he told them to leave handfuls of purpose for Ruth in the fields. His workers were familiar with the rules about the accidental dropping of sheaves. They would never dream of returning to retrieve it, for every Israelite desired God’s blessing on his life. Yet on that day they were told to let some fall on purpose.
Boaz was taking his men with him on the path of desiring even more of God’s blessing in his life. He told his men, “When you go through the fields, I want you to drop some sheaves for Ruth.” This instruction went beyond the boundaries of the law and entered the boundaries of love. The letter of the law said if a sheaf were to fall by accident, they were to leave it. The letter of love said let some fall on purpose and watch it bless.
Boaz wanted Ruth to discover tokens of his love throughout her workday. Boaz’s men were to drop them surreptitiously; Ruth was not to know or see them intentionally do so. What delight they must have found as they observed God’s law, obeyed their master’s word, and enriched the heart of one who had only known disadvantages and displacement in her life.
Many Christians today neglect Boaz’s example. Many times, believers seek to build their own nest egg and help few out along life’s way. Boaz’s thinking was simple: “It is better when I bless others from my bounty and let Him bless me with His bounty. It is worse when I bless myself from my own bounty and miss the blessings of His bounty.”
What about you? Are you hoarding the bounty He has given you? Are you one to follow the letter of the law when being observed? Are you one of those who blesses himself and misses God’s blessing? Let us return to the desire of Boaz and seek God’s blessing over our own bounty.