The Book of Ruth ~ Devotion Twelve

"Stay for Dinner"

From yesterday's devotion we learned how Boaz had taken notice of Ruth. He offered her kindness and rest. The book of Ruth teaches us that treating others as God would have us treat them brings blessing from His hand. We may not know what our blessing will be or that it should be our goal to receive blessings. Rather, we are to treat one another as God would have us do so. It is to His glory and purpose that we should want to live as He wants us to live.

Our Lord shows us compassion. We learned from our last devotion that we should show this same compassion to others. Why is it so hard sometimes? I think its easier to be kind to strangers than it is to our own loved ones. I say self-serving things to my husband that I would never say to a stranger. Why do I do it? Would we usually raise our voice to a stranger's child? Then why do we do it so easily to our own? We should treat everyone as Christ has treated us. (Help me remember this Lord!)

Philippians 2:3 (NLT) Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

Hebrews 13:2 (NLT) Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Today’s portion of Scripture further explores the kindness and compassion shown through Boaz.

Ruth 2:14-18 (NLT) At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over. When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!” So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it filled an entire basket. She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal.

Boaz invited Ruth to stay for dinner. He asked her to come closer to him and share the bread. She sat down with the harvesters and was able to eat as much as she wanted. Maybe this was the first time in a long time that her stomach was actual full. I’m sure hunger pangs were a part of her daily life.

Ruth had all she wanted. She didn’t leave the table of her master hungry. God doesn't want us to leave His table hungry. He invites us to be fed from His hand daily. Why do we look for filling elsewhere? Why do we look for filling from another's table and not the King of the Universe?

Read the Scripture below and see how Jesus dealt with a certain crowd of hungry people:

Matthew 14:14-21 (NLT) 14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”

“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.

“Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!


Jesus saw the need of the hungry people, just like Boaz did when he saw Ruth. Jesus offered what was available and asked God’s blessing upon it. Boaz knew he could bless this hungry young woman with what he had to offer. We’ve seen that he sought God’s blessing before in his daily greetings to the harvesters. Boaz knew that it was from God’s hand that he could offer blessing to Ruth.

You may be thinking, “What can I offer? I have so little.” Remember that Jesus uses what we are willing to give to Him to use. He gives us just what we need and He can use what we are willing to allow Him to use.

Boaz even told his workers to leave some whole sheaves of grain for Ruth. She was able to take this home to Naomi who was able to eat to her fill as well. Boaz not only blessed Ruth, he blessed Naomi as too.

When our spiritual bellies are full from spending time at His table we are able to offer what He has filled us with to others. God wants us to give. He wants us to show others His love through us. When we are obedient to His will for our lives, is able to do the miraculous through us. God uses what little we have and multiplies it infinitely more that we could ever ask or imagine.

Ruth was filled at the master’s table. She was grateful and took her blessing home with her to share with her mother-in-law. She knew how to accept a blessing. God wants the same for you and me. Let’s learn to dine with our Master by accepting the gifts He has to offer. Let's fill our spiritual hunger from the Only One who can fill it.

Let's also remember to give and treat others as we are treated by God. Jesus tells us in the Bible that we are to "love your neighbors as yourself." Our kindness, compassion and consideration is not limited to certain people, it is meant for everyone we encounter.

Keep your radar up for others to bless. Ask God to reveal a need that He wants to fill in someone else's life through you. Then stand back and watch God do His stuff. He's incredible!