Fruit: The Harvesters (blog)

"Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, 'The Lord be with you!''The Lord bless you!' they called back. (Ruth 2:4)The harvest described in the book of Ruth (chapter 2) is a clear and beautiful picture of people working together joyfully to gather in an abundant crop (in this case, of barley sheaves).  There was such an abundance that the harvesters couldn't gather it all in.This is where we find Ruth, following along behind the harvesters at a distance to pick up the missed sheaves, which God had instructed be left behind for widows, orphans, foreigners and others in need (see Leviticus 19:9-10 and Deuteronomy 24:19).  Ruth was working to feed herself and her mother-in-law, as they were both widows.Her story is so inspiring to me!The harvesters' eyes were on Ruth, and as they continued to work they began leaving even more barley sheaves behind for her to gather.  In concern for Ruth, the owner of the field (Boaz) inquired about her and then urged her to glean only in his fields where he could watch over her.  He insisted that she drink from the worker's water jars, and at mealtime he even invited her to sit and eat with them."She ate all she wanted and had some left over." (Ruth v. 2:14).Ruth didn't know what to make of the compassion shared with her."Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me - a foreigner?" she asked Boaz (Ruth v. 2:10).  "You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly..." (Ruth v. 2:13).Her words are so moving.  Don't you just love the way the harvesters found ways to help Ruth out while going along about their everyday business?  Their little acts of kindness meant so much to her.Further along in the Bible, John's gospel (chapter 4:1-42) reveals a very different harvest scene.We see Jesus, weary from his journey, sitting down by a well in Sychar to rest and asking a Samaritan woman there to draw out a drink for him, which she balks at.  There are no immediate signs of ripened crops, and no one is working together joyfully here.  We see Jesus sending his disciples away to buy food.And it's noon - no one goes out in the fields to harvest under the hot sun of midday.When the disciples return they find Jesus talking with the woman, but we don't see them concerning themselves much with her.  Instead we see them urging their teacher to eat (and they were probably hungry themselves).  He refuses and they are confused."I have food to eat that you know nothing about," he tells them (John v. 4:32).What did he mean?If the disciples had listened in on Jesus' transformative, fruit-producing conversation with the Samaritan woman they might have understood (see previous blog posts in this series), but in going off to tend to their own immediate needs they had missed it."My food," Jesus explained, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.  Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'?  I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest." (John 4:34-35)I'm picturing Jesus' disciples here, squinting their eyes and scanning the horizon (as I would be in their place).What Jesus was talking about, and what they weren't seeing, was a spiritual harvest that was ripe and couldn't wait to be gathered in, a harvest of people right there in Sychar who were ready to believe in him as their savior.  The disciples were with Jesus on his redemptive journey, but in some ways they were trailing behind him with nowhere near Ruth's devotion or expertise at gleaning (and think of what they could have learned from Boaz!)."I sent you to reap what you have not worked for.  Others have done the hard work, you have reaped the benefits of their labor," their teacher went on (John 4:38) as the disciples stood around him, still (I'm guessing) holding the food they had bought in the town center which had been sown and grown by someone else.Redemption never would be their work but Jesus'.  Only the Son of God could do the hard work of suffering and dying for the sins of the world, and then rise again to life, so that all who believe in him can be forgiven and saved, and gathered in to live with him eternally."Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross..." (Hebrews 12:2).Jesus stopped the disciples in Sychar, not just to rest and eat but to harvest - to finish the work that God had started in the people there, "so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together" (John 4:36).Fortunately for the disciples, they would have two more days in Sychar to fill out this beautiful harvest picture - getting a taste of the joy Jesus was talking about and learning more about gleaning - as the townspeople urged Jesus to stay with them.After listening to all that Jesus said, the people of Sychar believed in him.What about you and me?  What does the harvest look like for us, as Jesus' followers in this time and place?  What are we learning about joy, about gleaning?Is Jesus urging you to open your eyes wider, and what is he asking you to see right now?  Is someone following behind you, eager to pick up what you leave for her (or him)?  How are you showing kindness and inviting this person closer into your life?I would love to hear your stories in the comment here!