Ruth 2:19 – 20 “Her mother-in-law asked her, ‘Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!’ Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. ‘The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,’ she said.”
Have you ever carried twenty-two liters of groceries into your home? I have, and it takes several trips. Ruth brought home an ephah of barley, which is about twenty-two liters. It would have fed Ruth and Naomi for more than a week.
Naomi took one look at all the bags of groceries, and she didn’t congratulate Ruth. She didn’t say, “Well done, daughter. I can see you’ve worked hard.” The amount of barley Ruth brought home that day went well beyond what any normal woman could gather in a day. Naomi knew that someone had taken notice of Ruth.
God works that way sometimes. He likes to get the glory, and so He does things in our lives that clearly have nothing to do with our abilities. He allows us to get into situations where we feel limited, circumstances that are beyond our talents, beyond our control. And then, He works miracles. He does such great things that others have no choice but to say, “Who took notice of you?”
It is good for us to work hard, and to use our abilities for God. Sometimes, however, we resist doing things for Him because we don’t think we have the ability to do what He has asked. But let me tell you, friend, that is exactly what He wants from us! For then, He can get all the glory for what is done.
Ruth could have said, “Why bother to work all day? I won’t gather that much anyway. It is hot and I’m tired. I have enough for lunch. I’ll just go home.” But she didn’t. She stayed, and she worked hard, even though she knew her ability was limited. And lo and behold, God sent Boaz to the fields that day. Ruth was blessed through Boaz, and God got the glory!
Dear Father, I want You to get the credit for every good thing in my life. Thank You for blessing me in ways that point others to You.
Amen
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