According To Thy Faith

“The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” (Ru 2:12 AV)

These words are the words of Naomi to Ruth as Ruth returns with modest gains from her time gleaning with the women of Boaz.  Ruth is an amazing person.  After marrying, and then widowed, from Naomi’s son, she decides to return to Israel with her rather than to return to her own father’s house.  Returning to her father’s house would have been the expectation at the time.  She would return and await a new husband.  However, Ruth the Moabitess returns with her mother-in-law to care for her.  Ruth had fallen in love with Naomi’s son and her son’s God.  She came to trust God more than Naomi’s husband did.  Ruth’s father-in-law fled Israel because of famine.  Naomi’s words to Ruth are similar to what Christ said to two blind men whom he healed along the way.  “According to your faith be it unto you.” (Mt 9:29 KJB). 

Spontaneous people either have a lot of faith, or they are a bit wanting in the brains department.  Perhaps a little of both.  Initially, they may lack judgment and smart for it later.  However, these types of people are also more apt to enjoy life because they have far more faith than others.  They simply do not allow their brains to overrule their faith.  This is Ruth.  No doubt she thought her decision all the way through.  It would have been safer to return to her father’s house.  It would have been more familiar.  It would have been the prudent thing to do.  Of course, that would leave out the fact she returns to a house that worshipped false gods.  On the other hand, she returns to Israel as a Gentile widow who was caring for her mother-in-law; also a widow.  There were no guarantees.  They would suffer great poverty.  However, she learned to trust the God of Naomi as her own.  We don’t know how this happened.  But we do know she called God ‘the LORD’ and not ‘her (Naomi’s) LORD.  This faith resulted in Ruth industriousness.  It was observed by the reapers Ruth was the first to arrive and the last to leave.  They may the remark she rarely tarried at home.  It was the faith and humility which Boaz saw and rewarded.  This is the faith to which Naomi refers above.

James the Apostle said, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” (Jas 2:18 AV) Faith manifests itself by actions.  A faith that produces no results is not a faith that is alive.  God asks that we trust Him.  We show that trust by expressing it.  Somehow, someway, faith works itself out in what we do.  It works itself out in how we are.  It works itself out in disposition or action.  Otherwise, faith is dead, being alone.  God honors faith above all else.  With it, that is faith, it is impossible to please God.  It is faith that separates mankind from all other created beings.  It is faith, and the measure thereof, which God rewards.  This is Naomi’s point to Ruth.  Ruth trusted the LORD to do the right thing and return with Naomi.  Ruth trusted the LORD as she followed Naomi’s suggestion she gleans with Boaz.  Ruth labored hard.  She never quit.  She hung in there because she believed a God who visited her in the deserts of Moab by the hand of her kind mother-in-law.  This Ruth was blessed because she came to trust in the one true God.  We can be as well.