Ruth 2:11-14 (ESV)
But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.” And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over.
Think back to the last two days of reading and everything that happened in Ruth chapter one. Naomi had gone through so much loss and heartbreak and Ruth had just lost her husband. After these events Ruth then left everything she knew to be there for Naomi and followed her back to her homeland. Things seemingly couldn’t get any worse for them, they were out of options and just hoping to make it by.
Their story doesn’t end there, however, and that is where we pick back up in verses 1-16 of Ruth chapter two. Ruth takes a chance merely hoping for an opportunity to work the field of a distant relative of Naomi. Not only was she given the opportunity to work the field, but Ruth found favor from Boaz (Naomi’s distant relative) and was blessed beyond what she anticipated by his hospitality.
The verses that stood out to me the most from our reading today were 11 and 12. In these two verses Boaz acknowledged everything Ruth had done to help Naomi despite how difficult it had to have been and it made me think of the difficult times that I have gone through. Could I, or would God, acknowledge to me that I had stayed faithful and continued to do what I was called to do despite everything I was going through? The true tests of our faith come through the valleys and fires, not when we are riding high on the mountain tops.
How about you? How have you been faithful in the valleys in your life?