by John O’Malley
“And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed” (Ruth 2:18).
Ruth’s journey from home that morning was one filled with hope, faith, and trust. Ruth’s prayer when she left home that morning indicated her hope and trust. Boaz’s testimony in the middle of the day revealed Ruth’s faith. Now this journey home is one of satisfaction in the one true God of Israel.
She left home seeking to find grace in human eyes. That day she found grace both in human eyes and in heaven’s eye. Ruth left seeking ears of corn, and came home with gallons of barley. She went out looking for daily provision, and found divine provision. Ruth's heart was full as her hope was fulfilled. Ruth’s faith was made sight by the barley in her hand. Ruth’s trust was confirmed as she strode home, certain that the wings of the Lord God of Israel had again guided her to a place of provision.
When Naomi returned to Bethlehem-judah, she declared that she had left full, but had come home again empty. Straying out of God’s will drained her. Straying from God’s Word depleted her. Straying from God’s ways exhausted her.
Now we see Ruth had left home empty, and had come home filled with bounty from Boaz. She had come back with more than enough barley for that day’s provision and the following day’s provision. She had slipped into her pouch the parched corn she had received from Boaz during the noon meal.
It would have been easy for her to consider that Naomi would never have known about the parched corn, but this was not Ruth’s way. Ruth made a human commitment to Naomi in 1:16. Ruth made a heavenly commitment to God in 1:17. These commitments precluded her from excluding Naomi from parched corn now and promised children later.
Ruth knew that beyond her local barley field was a hungry person who needed bread. She gathered the precious seed and walked to her home place. Upon her arrival, she offered it to her mother-in-law who received it with gladness and glorified God for its arrival.
We who have received the goodness of God’s Word are obligated to rise out of our barley fields to take the seed to those who are hungry. Our churches today are full of “barley-gatherers,” but we lack many “barley-givers” and “barley-goers.”
When did you last take the barley of the Word of God and head into a city, village, or home and present someone barley and parched corn? Since you have the seed of the Word of God, and you know where there are hungry people, why not head there today and take them the Word of God?