A “through the bible” devotion from Ruth.
Twice a week, pickup trucks slowly crawl through my neighborhood at dawn. They pull over and pick up things my neighbors have put out in the trash. They stop to take lamps and chairs, vacuum cleaners and computer monitors, plastic totes and old appliances. I assume that they repair and sell the small appliances, refinish the furniture, and sell the scrap metal.
That’s the closest contemporary comparison I have for Ruth as she gleans Boaz’s fields. God’s law stipulates that you leave a few grapes, a couple of olives, and a little wheat in the field as you are harvesting. Those in need can then come and collect what is left over. It is a way of providing for others. It is their way of surviving with dignity.
If anything, most of us have lots of “extra.” Extra stuff that fills up closets, shelves, garages, and storage units. We have extra stuff because we think we need it, it looks fun, and other people have it. So we buy it, too.
Or maybe we have extra stuff to supply what others need. God can redeem my greed, covetousness, and materialism. I can use it to help someone else.
To be hones, I don’t miss any of the stuff I’ve given away. I don’t miss the books, clothes, toys, dishes, tools, or furniture I’ve donated or left on the curb. That says a whole lot right there. I didn’t need it to begin with.
Boaz didn’t lose anything by leaving grain behind in his fields for others to glean. But he gained a wife (Ruth), a place in Jesus’s ancestry, and a mention in the bible. Just for being obedient, generous, and gracious.
Leave something out on the curb. Donate the things you aren’t using. Leave a little of your money unbudgeted. Empty all that stuff you don’t need out of your shopping cart. Let God redeem your “extra.”
Waite for it... 