阅读经文 

有时候神会特意地看顾我们，而有时候我们也需要特意地寻求被神看顾。坦然说出我们的需要并不那么容易，尤其是当别人对帮助我们可能持保留态度的时候。

但路得是个大有胆量的人。她知道自己和婆婆需要什么，于是她请求许可在伯利恒的地主波阿斯的一块田里拾取麦穗。

波阿斯是路得婆婆拿俄米的亲戚，他听说过路得的经历，但以前没有见过她。波阿斯并没有对路得不屑一顾或漠不关心，而是对路得表示欢迎，并邀请她继续跟着自家田里收割的仆人拾穗。更重要的是，他赞赏路得孝敬她的婆婆，并评价路得是一个可敬的女人。他说：“你来投靠……神的翅膀下，愿你满得祂的赏赐。”（参得 2:12）这句话反映了神的慈爱和护理的属性，有助于我们明白神对我们的大爱。

神信实地看顾我们，供应我们，祂常常藉着他人的仁慈和慷慨来成就供应。无论我们需要他人帮助还是能够帮助他人，我们都可以确信，神会施恩给那些请求的人，并激励那些施舍的人。

Sometimes God goes out of his way to care for us, and sometimes we need to go out of our way to be cared for. It's not always easy to ask for what we need, especially when others might have reasons to be cautious about helping us.

But Ruth is a bold person. She knows what she and her mother-in-law need, and she asks for permission to glean barley in a field that belongs to Boaz, a landowner from Bethlehem.

Now, Boaz is a relative of Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi, and he has heard about Ruth but hasn't met her before. And rather than being dismissive or indifferent, Boaz welcomes Ruth and invites her to keep following along after the harvesters. What's more, he blesses her for supporting her mother-in-law and indicates that Ruth is an honorable woman. "May you be richly rewarded by the Lord," he says, ". . . under whose wings you have come to take refuge." This statement reflects the caring, providing nature of God's character, and it helps us to understand God's love for us.

God faithfully cares for and provides for us, and often he does this through the kindness and generosity of others. And whether we need help or we are able to help someone else, we can be assured that God empowers and celebrates both the one who asks and the one who gives.