How Hope Works // Ruth 2 // Dylan Ocorr

Gleaning was a social welfare system in ancient Israel. Those who owned land would hire laborers to go through the fields and harvest the crop. Inevitably, they would not grab all of it on the first ‘go’ round the fields. However, the laws of gleaning instructed the landowners to leave what was left after the first pass of harvesting so that it could be gathered or ‘gleaned’ by the poor and the foreigner living in the land.
I’m sure we all have gleaned once or twice before; that is, picked up the scraps. Every 6 year old, sooner or later, waves around a $20 bill to their parents and says “Mommy, look what I found!” And when pressed for an answer as to where it was found, reluctantly reveals that it was found in mommy’s purse. Gleaning? Sort of. Although, probably a little closer to stealing.
The father who always finishes the scraps off his kids dinner plate, now that’s a bit closer to gleaning… although, if we’re honest, dad rarely is in need of those extra calories. Ruth, however, is in desperate need of grain. Having gone around to several different fields, she happened to come to the field of a man named Boaz. He heard of Ruth’s incredible faithfulness to Naomi and, in response, showed her incredible grace and favor by giving her protection, steady work, and free refreshments (Ruth 2:8-9).
But, things didn’t end there. Without Ruth even knowing, Boaz commanded his servants to go above and beyond what the law required of him to give to Ruth. He told his servants to intentionally ‘drop’ thick, healthy bundles of grain behind them for Ruth to pick up. Even though Ruth only had a right to the scraps, Boaz’s grace was much deeper, working behind the scenes to richly bless Ruth far more than she was even aware of.
The God of Ruth is the same God of His people today. He still goes above and beyond the demands of His own law in order to richly bless His faithful ones. He is the God “who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Though we do not even deserve the scraps, because of Christ, there is nothing withheld from us. Even more than that, just as Ruth did not see all the depths of Boaz’s grace towards her, we do not see all the depths of God’s grace towards us. We see the cross just as Ruth saw the thick bundles of grain. And we know it is God’s great grace.
Yet, there is more behind the scene. So much more that “in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). We see Jesus. And all God’s grace is revealed in Jesus. But we do not presently comprehend all of Jesus. There is such an infinite measure of grace that God has towards those who trust in Christ, that it will be continually revealed to us all throughout the endless years of eternity. The path which the saints walk has been infinitely furnished with heapings of grace from the God who “pulls out some from the bundles” for us. And one day we will walk that path, look back, and join Ruth’s chorus saying “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me?” (Ruth 2:10)