A Godly Boss
| Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "The LORD be with you!" "The LORD bless you!" they called back. (Ruth2:4) |
But even more importantly, he is a Godly boss. The book of Ruth portrays Boaz as a man who is loved and admired by his staff. He greets them with blessing and they eagerly respond back.
One might argue that his workers are just doing what the culture required. One could argue that Boaz was a fake, loudly calling out blessings on his workers just for show, and, because they knew what was good for them, the workers reciprocated by blessing him back.
There are a number of clues from the text that contradict this view. Here are just three:
- Boaz enjoys a good "chatting relationship" with his workers. (See v5-7 below) When he asks his foreman about the new "young woman" on the field, the foreman gives him more information than what is necessary. One might even argue that the foreman is match-making, bragging about how hard Ruth has worked all morning.
- Naomi is convinced that Ruth will be safe on Boaz's fields. There is a level of morality and control in the way they do things and this speaks of the example that has been set for them.
- Boaz "flirts" with Ruth and then invites her to share his lunch with him in the presence of his harvesters. He does not consider himself better than them or exclude them from the beginning of his romance with Ruth.
The author of Ruth portrays Boaz as a man of integrity and Godliness - qualities which extend to those who work for him. May it be that we are people who sincerely wish God's blessings on those who work for us and may it be that our integrity and care shines through in such a way that those who work for us sincerely wish God's blessing on us.
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5 Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, "Whose young woman is that?"
6 The foreman replied, "She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter."
