A Word Spoken in Due Season, How Good Is It! Proverbs 15:23

In Ruth 2:13, Ruth speaks to Boaz with her heart. She tells Boaz let me find favor in your sight. Ruth tells Boaz that he has given her comfort by his words.  Ruth was not expecting the kindness of Boaz in his actions towards her or in his words.

The Bible has much to say on kinds words. I think when Ruth went out to find a field to glean in she went with a heavy heart not expecting the kindness that was shown to her. In Proverbs 12:25 we read, "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad." Ruth's heart was heavy for she was a widow and a stranger in a place that she was not expecting to be kind to her. Ruth was in poverty and had to work hard to care for her and Naomi. Words that we say can effect people in such a way to bring gladness or sadness.  Ruth need the comfort of a kind word.

I wonder do we offer kind words? Proverbs 31:26, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom: and in her tongue is the law of kindness." I hope that when I open my mouth that it is with kindness and with wisdom. In the book of Ruth words of kindness seem to pour out. Boaz tells Ruth earlier in Chapter 2 that he has heard good things about her. How often or we quick to say something negative about someone. I hope that we can be a good witness for someone, speaking good of them. That someone may be like Ruth, needing kindness to be shown to them in a land of uncertainty.  I want our words to be gracious as find in Ecclesiastes 10:12, "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious." Ruth was gracious as she spoke to Boaz in return to his kindness. I hope that the words we speak are gracious and give comfort.

Ruth tells Boaz that he has spoken friendly to her as if she was one of his handmaidens, though she was not like them. I think Ruth stood out and it was certain when you saw her in the field she was different. We know she was gracious in her speech. Ruth showed respect to the authority over her. We too, need to be different then the world around us sees us. Ruth was a child of God. I believe that it showed. I hope that when people see us they see a child of God. We are not of this world, so we must not act like it. I pray that people will see God in our actions and in our words.

 

"A word spoken in due season, how good is it!"

Proverbs 15:23