Gleaning was God's provision for the poor. God did not leave generosity to chance. He created laws designed to place a safety net under orphans, widows and needy people. Landowners were instructed not to harvest every last stalk, but to leave something for the needy. This provision figures prominently in the story of Ruth, a story of two widows living on the edge.

2. Series Outline
•The Turning Point: Ruth 1:1-18
•Dealing with Bitterness Ruth 1:19-22
•Not Reaping the Edges Ruth 2:1-7
•The Kinsman Redeemer Ruth 2:8-23
•The Threshing Floor Ruth 3
•When Responsibility Knocks… Ruth 4

3. Not
Reaping
the Edges

4. First Point
God does not leave
generosity to chance

5. Ruth 2
1 Now Naomi had a relative of
her husband's, a worthy man of
the clan of Elimelech, whose
name was Boaz.

6. Ruth 2
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to
Naomi, “Let me go to the field
and glean among the ears of
grain after him in whose sight I
shall find favor.” And she said to
her, “Go, my daughter.”

7. Leviticus 19
9 “When you (plural) reap the
harvest of your land, you
(singular) shall not reap your
field right up to its edge, neither
shall you gather the gleanings
after your harvest.

8. Leviticus 19
10 And you shall not strip your
vineyard bare, neither shall you
gather the fallen grapes of your
vineyard. You shall leave them for
the poor and for the sojourner: I
am the LORD your God.

9. Ruth 2
3 So she set out and went and
gleaned in the field after the
reapers, and she happened to
come to the part of the field
belonging to Boaz, who was of
the clan of Elimelech.

10. … and she happened to
come to Boaz’ field
‫ה‬ ֶֶ֔‫ר‬ ְ‫ק‬ ִ‫מ‬ ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ִּ֣ק‬ִ‫ַי‬‫ו‬
Wa-yiker Mi-kre-ha
“and her chance met/came
across.”

11. Lamentations 3
37 Who has spoken and it came
to pass, unless the Lord has
commanded it? 38 Is it not from
the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?

12. Second Point
God blesses character
and compassion.

13. Ruth 2
1 Now Naomi had a relative of
her husband's, a worthy man of
the clan of Elimelech, whose
name was Boaz.

14. A Worthy Man
‫יׁש‬ ִִ֚‫א‬‫ֹור‬ ִּ֣‫ב‬ִ‫ג‬‫ִל‬‫י‬ ֶַ֔‫ח‬
Ish Gibor Chayil
ManMightyValor

15. Ruth 2 – Boaz’ Character
4 And behold, Boaz came from
Bethlehem. And he said to the
reapers, “The LORD be with you!”
And they answered,
“The LORD bless you.”

16. “You can often tell the
real character of a
man in authority by
seeing how he relates
to his staff and by how
they think of him.”
David Guzik

17. Ruth 2 – Boaz’ Compassion
5 Then Boaz said to his young
man who was in charge of the
reapers, “Whose young woman
is this?”

18. Boaz’ Motives
Is this attraction or
compassion?

19. Third Point
God honors hard
work.

20. Ruth 2
6 And the servant who was in
charge of the reapers answered,
“She is the young Moabite
woman, who came back with
Naomi from the country of
Moab.

21. Ruth 2
7 She said, ‘Please let me glean
and gather among the sheaves
after the reapers.’ So she came,
and she has continued from
early morning until now, except
for a short rest.”

22. Ruth’s Work Ethic
•She has no sense of
entitlement.

23. cancerous thought
process that is void
of gratitude and can
be deadly to our
relationships.”
Dr. Steve Maraboli
“A sense of entitlement is a

24. Ruth’s Work Ethic
•She has no sense of entitlement.
•She is not too proud to
work.

25. Ruth’s Work Ethic
• She has no sense of entitlement.
•She is not too proud to work.
•She works long and hard.

26. Some turn up their
sleeves, some turn up
their noses, and some
don't turn up at all.”
“Hard work spotlights the
character of people:
Sam Ewing