Why Have I Found Such Favor in Your Eyes?
“So Boaz said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in
another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls.
Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the
girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty,
go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.’ At this, she
bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, ‘WHY HAVE I FOUND
SUCH FAVOR IN YOUR EYES THAT YOU NOTICE ME—A FOREIGNER?’” (Ruth
2:8-10)
There are many correlations to be found between the story of Boaz and Ruth
and the story of each human being and Jesus. In fact, we all represent Ruth,
for just like Ruth was a foreigner in Israel, the fact that we have all been
born under sin makes each of us foreigners to God’s world. Each of the
statements Boaz makes in this passage is repeated as advice for us in
God’s Word. Let’s take a look!
Boaz told Ruth to NOT go and glean in other fields, to stay with him. God
tells us the same thing: Stay with God! Don’t go into the world! (1 Jn
2:15: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.”)
Boaz told Ruth that his men wouldn’t harm her, thus implying that she
might have been in danger from the field workers in another man’s field.
Even so, when we choose to live in the world, we are in serious danger of
every trap the evil one has set. (1 Pe 5:8: “Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone
to devour.”)
Boaz told Ruth to go and get a drink from the water jars his men had filled
any time she was thirsty, Jesus has the same message for us: “If anyone is
thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the
Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
(John 7:37,38).
Ruth suddenly finds herself supplied with everything she needs: A
livelihood, food, water, even protection. Is it any wonder she would choose
to stay in Boaz’s fields to glean grain? We, too, are given everything we
need, for the Bible tells us: “My God will supply ALL of your needs!”
(Phil. 4:19) Why, then, as human beings, would we ever choose to live our lives outside
of God?
Ruth didn’t refuse Boaz’s offer. But she DID have a question for him:
“Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me-a
foreigner?” This is a question we can all ask of God! He has also provided
us with everything we need. All we have to do is choose to stay with Him. So
the only question is, “Why have I found such favor in Your eyes?” The
answer to this question can be found in Boaz’s answer to Ruth: “I've
been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the
death of your husband-HOW YOU LEFT YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER AND YOUR HOMELAND
AND CAME TO LIVE WITH A PEOPLE YOU DID NOT KNOW BEFORE.” (Ruth 2:11) When
we choose to leave our lives in the world and become one with Jesus Christ,
this is exactly what we do to! We leave our “homeland” of sin and come
to live with Jesus, Someone, who until that time was a total stranger!
Is there a reward for leaving your home to come and live in a place foreign
to you? There was for Ruth! Boaz said, “May you be richly rewarded by the
LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
(Ruth 2:12) Besides being able to provide for herself and her mother-in-law,
Ruth would become Boaz’s wife; Boaz would become Naomi’s Kinsman
Redeemer; and Ruth would become the great-grandmother of King David.
There reward in this for each of us, too, friend! "Behold, I am coming
soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he
has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the
Beginning and the End. ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they
may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the
city.’” (Rev. 22:12-14)
What do you think, friend? With an offer like this, who can say no? Just
like Ruth accepted Boaz’s offer, accept Jesus’ offer today!
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets, www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons
, Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org
.