Doing the right thing

It’s about time.

Not that the read so far has been unpleasant.

But a breath of fresh air is refreshing.

And that is what the book of Ruth is.

Occurring during the transition between the time of judges and the time of kings.

The story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz.

A bittersweet tale about ordinary people.



Naomi and Ruth

Under pressure.

Acting the way humans should.

And it works out.

Ruth is a story of hope, understanding, loyalty, and perseverance.

Honoring traditional family values that count.

Traditional family values like being generous.

Treating others as equals.

Even if they are widows.

Or foreigners.

Or both.

Which Ruth was.

Providing for the support of those in need.

And how harmless rituals, like “passing the sandal” (I told you it would be something important to remember; see Once more with feeling), can provide a valuable connection to who one is.

Stability.

Consistency.

Roots.

And how love can prevail.

Even in the time of turmoil.

Basic truths of doing the right thing.

Think about it.

The circumstances depicted in Ruth are set nearing the end of the time of judges.

The time of civil war amongst the Israelites.

An ugly, brutal, senseless war.  See Losing their religion.

When the people did what was right in their own eyes.

Yet yearned for someone or something to lead them to a better way.

A better way of living.

And even though the society around them seems to be falling apart, humans can still engage in acts of kindness.

Acts of service.

Acts of goodwill toward others.

Acts of love.

Boaz and Ruth

I like the book of Ruth.

Not because it’s short.

But because it’s to the point.

And it’s what can happen on earth.

When and if people choose to do the right thing.

Which is to love one another.

Anyway, if you’ve been following along, discussing Ruth at this point reveals that I’m reading what is commonly referred to as the “Christian” bible, as it is included within the “Historical” books, instead of the Rabbinic tradition to include it later in the Poetical and Wisdom books.

And, as a Christian, the conclusion of Ruth provides insight that will tie in some important things to consider occurring later in the work.

Such as tracing the lineage.

The roots of the stump of Jesse. 

From Tamar, the widow who posed as a temple prostitute to obtain her promised family in Genesis.  See In the beginning.

To Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute from Jericho who assisted the Israelites spies in the conquest of the Promised Land in Joshua.  See Bloodbath in the Promised Land.

Who was the mother of Boaz.

The husband of Ruth, the Moabite widow.

The mother of Obed.

Which means servant.

The father of Jesse, and the grandfather of David.

One of the first kings of Israel.

Ancestor to another.

The King of kings.

But that’s getting way, way ahead of the story.

Now back to the end of the time of judges.

And on to the histories of the earthly kings of Israel.