One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.” [Ruth 3.1-4]
I don't know what culture was like when this took place, but I know if it took place today, Ruth's actions on this event would have been interpreted as highly seductive.
The fact that Boaz early on had taken notice of her among all the other young women working for him seems to imply that Ruth was not 'hard on the eyes.' Their ensuing conversations gave no indication of flirtatiousness, but they were both noticeably nice to each other.
So, what's the point? The point is, these two people were human. And, as sterile as the story is recorded, it would be incomplete to conclude that there were not some obvious "sparks" flying between Ruth and Boaz. Mind you, this event is in the lineage of King David and, more importantly the lineage pointing to Jesus. The human element of this story just further confirms the humanity of Jesus, God's Son, come to earth.
Father, may we be reminded from Ruth's story that You love humans so much that Jesus became one so that we might all be saved. So be it.
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