Men’s roles and women’s role: In the context of the story of Ruth, the women arose and spoke into Naomi’s life and blessed Ruth as well. The men sat at the gate for they judged and maintained order. The men had a role as essential as the women.The women surround each other; for instance, they helped Ruth a first–time mother in the birthing process (Ruth 4). Both parts, male and female, are necessary for good government and community. When the strictures of society are out-of-place or simply do not exist, we have the dissolution of family and community.
The Proverbs 31 woman makes her husband strong in the gate. She does him good and not evil, all the days of his life. Still, men need to observe other men to learn how to act. Developing as a man for a traditional Jewish male included the meeting in the gate, the traditional praying as a minyan or quorum of ten, and the study of God's word together. Allowing young men to observe and experience civic duties and study of the Torah in the synagogues and yeshivas were intrinsic aspects of the male maturation process. Bar mitzvah was the cumulative exam of what the traditional Jewish youth had learned. How would you like being considered an adult, morally responsible for your choices by the age of 13, yikes?
The Proverbs 31 woman makes her husband strong in the gate. She does him good and not evil, all the days of his life. Still, men need to observe other men to learn how to act. Developing as a man for a traditional Jewish male included the meeting in the gate, the traditional praying as a minyan or quorum of ten, and the study of God's word together. Allowing young men to observe and experience civic duties and study of the Torah in the synagogues and yeshivas were intrinsic aspects of the male maturation process. Bar mitzvah was the cumulative exam of what the traditional Jewish youth had learned. How would you like being considered an adult, morally responsible for your choices by the age of 13, yikes?
Men normally look at their wage-earning abilities as the definer of who they are. Men look to be providers, but ultimately, God is the Provider: "Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest" (Jeremiah 5:24).
It is Adonai who causes the earth to put forth sprouts and grow. Therefore, Boaz must rely on God to cause the barley harvest to grow. A man or a job is not ultimately our provision. Ultimately, we rely on God as our provision. Boaz relies on God, and Ruth relies on God's provision through Boaz. Ruth 2:8-9 states, "Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn." Adonai is Jehovah-Jireh- the Lord our Provider. Our trust as women and men should be solely in Him- whether dealing with relationships, finances, or whatever we face.
This trust issue came to a head for me when I visited Israel. I had limited finances, but I decided that I would trust God. I did not carry a credit card. But, God placed in the heart of people, unknown to me prior, a willingness to give me shelter and invite me into their homes. I would go into a bakery and leave with more than I actually purchased. Irealized that God's favor is worth more than any money.
In these trying financial times, we can rest in the fact that nothing is too hard for God. He meets
all our needs; He knows we are no longer in Moab, and we have thrown caution to the wind and are foolish enough to trust Him. God has promised, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22).
May we trust the Lord of the Harvest,
M.J.
It is Adonai who causes the earth to put forth sprouts and grow. Therefore, Boaz must rely on God to cause the barley harvest to grow. A man or a job is not ultimately our provision. Ultimately, we rely on God as our provision. Boaz relies on God, and Ruth relies on God's provision through Boaz. Ruth 2:8-9 states, "Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn." Adonai is Jehovah-Jireh- the Lord our Provider. Our trust as women and men should be solely in Him- whether dealing with relationships, finances, or whatever we face.
This trust issue came to a head for me when I visited Israel. I had limited finances, but I decided that I would trust God. I did not carry a credit card. But, God placed in the heart of people, unknown to me prior, a willingness to give me shelter and invite me into their homes. I would go into a bakery and leave with more than I actually purchased. Irealized that God's favor is worth more than any money.
In these trying financial times, we can rest in the fact that nothing is too hard for God. He meets
all our needs; He knows we are no longer in Moab, and we have thrown caution to the wind and are foolish enough to trust Him. God has promised, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22).
May we trust the Lord of the Harvest,
M.J.
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