Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.” And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”
(Ruth 3:1-5, NKJV)
Strange instructions from Naomi. They must not have made much sense to Ruth. “Get all clean and pretty in your best dress, and head out to the threshing floor. Keep quiet, but watch where Boaz lies down, and after he falls asleep, go and uncover his feet and then lie down. When he wakes, he’ll tell you what to do.”
Strange indeed.
Yet, Ruth, with trust and respect for her mother-in-law, didn’t argue. Didn’t question. Didn’t say, “Are you nuts?”
She quietly and humbly said, “All that you say to me I will do.”
Ruth had left her homeland and family to follow Naomi. She went out each day to collect the leftovers from the reapers. She worked hard to provide for Naomi. And now she was asked to do something quite odd—for a Moabitess, that is.
Didn’t I tell you Ruth was a fascinating book? More to come!
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