by John O’Malley
“And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not” (Ruth 2:15).
Boaz spoke with authority to his men. Each man knew that Boaz’s words were to be taken literally. Boaz commanded the young men to permit her to glean. The gleanings were not to have the ordinary restrictions that limited a stranger, the widowed, or the poor to the corners of the land and what was lying in the way. Boaz’s orders meant Ruth had been given unfettered access to his fields.
His words gave Ruth the clearance she needed to roam in the fields of Boaz and to pick up whatever fell from the grasp of the reapers. They were not to hinder her with their actions, attitudes, or their words. Boaz specifically added, “and reproach her not.” Typically the men would well be in their rights to defend the fields of their master against an intruder or a straying gleaner. The rules were different for Ruth; these men were not to utter a word of reproach to her.
The very phrase indicated to the young men Boaz’s power, protection, and passion for Ruth. Boaz commanded the young men, which displayed his power. He cautioned the men, which revealed his protection. He constrained the men, which revealed his passion for Ruth.
Apparently the young men would be within their rights to make Ruth feel ashamed for taking more from the field than what was legally her right by divine law. Boaz’s words made it clear they were not to reproach her. They were not to scold, humiliate, or insult Ruth for moving from the corners of the field to glean throughout the field.
Boaz’s command gave Ruth the ability to roam throughout his fields without any fear of reprisal. Divine law gave Ruth access to the corners, but Boaz’s command gave Ruth grace to go beyond the boundaries of the law to find his love. What the law permitted for Ruth, Boaz’s grace extended to give her far more than what the law allowed.
Sadly, in the family of God, it seems reproach comes far more easily from other believers than does rejoicing. Oftentimes a new believer’s zeal to rest and roam freely in the goodness of God’s grace is met with scolding and sarcasm from long-time family members who have grown calloused. May the words of the earthly Boaz prompt us to consider the words of our Eternal Boaz, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
For each person you meet today, live out these words from the New Testament in light of Boaz’s command to his young men: Reproach them not!