by John O’Malley
“Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking” (Ruth 3:3).
Five instructions were given to Ruth by Naomi that would enhance her fellowship with Boaz. Naomi knew what was both culturally and physically appropriate for Ruth to do. Naomi recognized that Boaz’s work would be completed at night and that he would remain at the threshing floor to protect his harvest. She knew how to touch the heart of a man, and gave instruction to Ruth accordingly.
She said to Ruth, “Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.” No longer did the dust of Moab cling to the heart of this widowed girl; rather, it was the dust of daily living that clung to her. She had been in the presence of Boaz many times as a worker. They had shared conversation and meals in the heat of the day. However, this proposed meeting was not to discuss the matters of the harvest, but matters of the heart.
The washing in this verse is not ceremonial but rather the normal daily kind. However, the motive behind the cleansing is what is worthy of attention. She was not cleansing herself for the work of the harvest, but for the lord of the harvest. Her motives were, “I want nothing clinging on me but my desire to please him.” She was not attempting to please him with her productivity in the harvest, but rather to please him with her purity of heart.
The purpose of her cleansing was to be pleasing to his heart. The process of her cleansing was to remove that which would distract him from her heart. She had no need to cleanse away Moab, since Jehovah had seen to that upon her profession of faith. This cleansing was to take away the dirt from daily living so her communication with Boaz would not be hindered by the soil of the day.
Friend, the connection between cleansing and communication in our relationship with the Lord is glaringly apparent. Remember, there is the cleansing by faith in the finished work of Christ that cleanses the soul; that is a unique cleansing of the life. However, there is a need for the daily cleansing of the heart; that is a daily cleansing needed for daily living. Proper cleansing is needed for my communication with the Lord of both the harvest and my heart. When my heart is cleansed, our fellowship is enjoyed the most. How sweet is your fellowship with Him? Is it time for some heart cleansing?