Daily Reading: 2 November
(from www.christianaid.org.uk)
Sharing with others.
Something to read
Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.
- Ruth 2:8-9 from full reading Ruth 2:1-9.
Something to think about
Humanitarian aid is a key part of Christian Aid’s work throughout the world, and this story highlights the perceptiveness of Boaz to the plight of Ruth, who is living in a different country than the one she was brought up in.
Here, we see humanitarian aid on a local basis. Here is a woman, widowed in her own country, and who decided to accompany her mother-in-law back to her country, Judah. Ruth, a foreigner in a strange land, wishes to try and improve her circumstances and sets out to gain something from what is left over from the main harvest.
A culture of allowing the less well-off to glean from the fields after the main harvest has been gathered allows a measure of dignity and respect to these people. Yet, in this story, Ruth also has the watchful eye of the compassionate land owner who goes out of his way to ensure that she can glean in safety, with no fear of emotional or sexual harassment.
I wonder how many of us go out of our way to help support those who are less well-off than ourselves, or have come to our country from another, to live respectably?
Something to do
Read our theology of peacebuilding paper: Siblings of Shalom
Something to pray
Dear God, thank you for the work that Christian Aid, amongst others, does in our community and abroad. Thank you for the time and effort that volunteers put in to ensure that the money donated goes to those communities that need it most and who receive humanitarian aid when they need it.
Pray for justice to be done for all of creation at the Talking Climate Justice Tour.
Today’s contributor is Rev Ellie Charman, at the time of writing was an assistant curate in the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness in the Scottish Episcopal Church.