Face forward - even if not moving forward

In my previous post, I mentioned Ruth as being the other of my favourite courtship and marriage stories from the Bible. Isaac focuses on the communal and faith aspect of finding a marriage partner. The zenith of even a Godly marriage is not the actual wedding itself, but how the relationship fulfills God’s long-term purposes. That may not be known in the lifetime of the couple.

Ruth is a story of a woman coming from outside the “family of faith”, with a heart of faith, and receiving the blessing of faith. A recap of the beginning of the story: Naomi and her husband and sons leave Bethlehem for greener pastures in the neighbouring country of Moab. Moabites were not friendly to the Israelites. However, both of Naomi’s sons marry Moabite women. Obviously these women had character traits the parents admired. Naomi’s husband and two sons eventually die. Naomi hears things are better back in the homeland and decides to return. She encourages her two daughters-in-law to stay, remarry and have children. Ruth is determined to stick with Naomi and renounce absolutely everything of her past life. Naomi must have been an excellent teacher of the Hebrew God to inspire such devotion. One of the most inspiring phrases of that devotion is found in Ruth 1:16,17.

Naomi and Ruth head back to Bethlehem and everyone is abuzz at a widow returning home with a “foreigner” tagging along. Widows had it very tough in those times. Ruth desires to serve and protect her aging mother-in-law by getting out there and going to work for their food. “It just so happens” she begins her work in the fields of Boaz; a relative. And an honourable one. And a rich one. None of this is known to Ruth. She is just doing the culturally honourable and right thing by looking after aging Naomi – even though Ruth is not a Hebrew woman.

This does not escape the notice of Boaz. He accords her special privileges while she works. He also tells her not to work anywhere else but his fields. He reminds her that everyone in town has been telling him about she is looking after her mother-in-law. He is obviously very pleased (and attracted) with the heart of this woman.

Ruth returns home with much more than a person would normally take. Naomi cannot contain her excitement at the good fortune from God’s hand: He has not forgotten them. Not only do they have an abundance of food, but Boaz is a relative who can actually do something about their plight as widows. The harvesting season continues and then mother-in-law gets it in her head that Ruth should pursue Boaz for marriage. Ruth doesn’t know all of the cultural and Mosaic laws, so she agrees to do whatever Naomi says (3:5,6). In the end, Boaz marries Ruth and a number of generations later, David – who later becomes king of Israel – is born (4:21).

What are the highlights of this process of courtship? Boaz and Ruth were both honourable and God-fearing in their spheres of work and culture. Boaz must have been a good employer to work for. He personally greeted his workers and they were comfortable enough to respond directly back to him (2:4). Boaz must have heard the town gossip about Ruth and Naomi (2:11,12), but obviously had not seen her yet. When he noticed a new woman working in his field, he asked his foreman who she was (2:5). The foreman explained she was the Moabitess who came back with Naomi, and a good worker (2:6,7). I personally tend to think there was a bit of gap in time between Boaz’s conversation with his foremen and the moment he walked over to Ruth and began according her special privileges. I can sense him looking at this young woman gathering gleanings and then beginning to smile; his heart warming at the sight of this woman who has a genuine servant’s heart.

Ruth is just working away. Then this well-dressed man walks over (who obviously must have been the owner) and hands her all kinds of special privileges short of the keys to the executive washroom. When I read Ruth’s responses to this outpouring of generosity (2:10,13), man, even I would be hopelessly attracted to a woman like that! Not the bowing, per se, just the humble attitude. It reminds me of the scene in the final episode of Lord of the Rings where Arwen, Elrond’s beautiful elf daughter, lowers her gaze at the sight of her beloved Aragorn, now crowned King of Middle Earth. In equally honourable and tender fashion, Aragorn’s face is pained that she would think she is not worthy of him. Without a word, he reaches for her face and gently lifts it until their eyes meet – and then plants one of the most memorable kisses ever put on film. *Sigh*…that is so beautiful. But I digress.

Neither Boaz or Ruth was looking to take advantage of the other. Upon Naomi’s instruction, Ruth went and reminded Boaz of his responsibility to take care of the two widowed women from their clan. Again, this just confirms to him what everyone knows: she is an honourable woman (3:11). There is a legal cultural hurdle for Boaz to get over before the way is paved for him to get Ruth. But once that is done, nothing was going to stop him from getting this woman as his own wife (3:12,13).

Both of them were following God in what they were doing before the possibility of marriage. They respected each other’s position in society until such time as they became husband and wife. And the mother-in-law whose life was bitter, became pleasant again. Am I doing, or will do, the same with someone I want to get serious about?