e has ever surpassed it.
But it is more than a confession of love. It is also a confession of
faith. It is the declaration of a strong woman's choice. As Ruth
clings to the woman she loves she announces her decision, a decision to
which she remained true through all the future years. "Thy people
shall be my people and thy God my God."

And the people of the little village of Bethlehem had something
interesting to talk about a few days later. Two strange women had come
their way, women who were poverty-stricken and homeless. One of them
was a Jewess. The other was a Gentile. Neither of them was welcome.
Naomi had lost her place in the life of the community. Ruth, the
Moabitess had never had any place.

The days that immediately followed their arrival were sad and bitter
days. But the younger woman, with a fine courage, refuses to be a
burden. Instead, she will be the support of the mother of her dead
husband. So she takes upon herself the menial task of a gleaner. It
is harvest time and she goes out into the fields to glean.

Now, it happens in the good providence of God, that the field in which
she went to glean belonged to a very rich and prosperous man named
Boaz. And to that very field where Ruth was gleaning Boaz came that
day. He was a young, vigorous, and positive man. He was accustomed to
command. There was a dignity about him that made him seem older than
his years. Everybody respected him. He was just and generous and
religious.

No sooner was he among the workers than his attention was attracted by
the winsome young stranger from Moab. I do not know why he should
notice her at once, but I have a fancy that Ruth was attractive, that
she had personality and charm. I feel confident that she had that
superior beauty that is born of superior character. Anyway, the great
landlord saw her and was interested. And he spoke kindly to her, and
when Ruth got home that evening she had an interesting story to tell.

And Naomi--wasn't she interested? I can see the flush of her face and
the sparkle of her eye across the centuries. She is a woman, too,
every ounce of her. And being a woman, she is by instinct and by
nature a match maker. She guesses at once what is going on in the
hearts of these two young people. And she sets about with delicate
good sense to help them to understand each other. By her wise advice
things turn out just as they ought to turn out, and . . . "they lived
happy eve