Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.” (2:22)Naomi is a widow. Not only is she a widow but she has also lost her 2 sons. (1:4) The only people left of her immediate family is her and her 2 daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, who are also widows. I think I always knew that fact about Naomi but after the events in my own church family so far this year I think I am more sensitive to the grief that these 3 women are carrying around. I'm pretty sure their situation isn't all that uncommon among the Israelite people of the time. After reading of all the bloodshed and death in the book of Judges it comes as no surprise. The book of Ruth sort of points out the effect this period of history has had on the common people.
In recent months I've spoken with a woman who, because of the loss in her life, felt like God was angry with her for some reason. Naomi feels the same:
...the LORD’s hand has turned against me! (1:13)
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” (1:20-21)However, this story does have a more or less happy ending. Ruth finds a good husband (Boaz) who then takes care of her and her family.
The book of Ruth gives us some very interesting insights into daily life during this period of history. There's the custom of gleaning in the fields, the expectations of relatives, the way business transactions were conducted and witnessed. In spite of all the violence around them, daily life went on.
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