Seeing the Value in NOW

Junkin’

Cindy and I recently sold a group of theater style recliners. They were comfortable and the lawn chairs we were using were far less comfortable. We got rid of them in hopes of recarpeting a couple of rooms. We were sitting in the room the other day trying to figure out how to make the finances work and I suggested that we try to fill it with used treasures.

Do you remember filling up your first homes with treasures that you found on the side of the road? Maybe it was something broken that you found but you could easily repair it. There is an enormous amount of satisfaction in flipping trash and turning it into treasure.

That is what I want to talk about this morning. I believe that our human nature has a way of undervaluing the things that God puts in front of us. We might even consider it to be trash, but God can make it into treasure.

Biblical Junkin’ Can Be Called Gleaning

Have you ever picked up something on the side of the road? Offset BBQ pits can be treasures. Couches (with enough cleaning) can become dormitory riches. Cindy and I picked up a set of ladder-back chairs coming back from my college graduation. You just have to have your eyes open. I believe that God is constantly providing and caring for us. I love these lines from David.

Psalm 104:27–28 NIV

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

It describes God’s goodness and kindness to us. It also reminds us of our dependence on God. The act of gleaning occurs throughout the Bible. In a broad sense the Israelites gleaned manna from heaven (Ex 16), a prophet gleaned herbs for stew (2 Kings 4:39), and Joseph gleanedmoney from Egypt and Canaan in preparation for a famine (Gen 47:14). But the place that we are reminded about gleaning the most is in the story of Ruth.

A woman named Naomi with her husband Elimelech left a famine in Israel for the land of Moab. While there her two sons married Moabites. After a short period, all the men died leaving the women alone. Meanwhile, the famine relented so Naomi and her daughter in law, Ruth returned to Israel. In doing so, her daughter-in-law, Ruth, turned her back on the gods of the Moabites and choose to worship the Lord God of Israel.

Back in the city of Bethlehem the ladies begin to settle in. Ruth goes out into a field of a relative to glean after the men and women have made their passes. However, she gains the favor of the owner and he begins to bless her with crops. For the sake of time, we won’t read all of Ruth 2 but here are the things that happen in the story:

1. Boaz blesses Ruth specifically (vs 4)

2. Boaz encourages her to stay on his property exclusively (vs 8-9)

3. Boaz knows her story, and commends her for caring for Naomi (vs 11)

4. Boaz invites her to eat with his workers (vs 14)

5. Boaz orders his workers to intentionally leave grain in the field for her (vs 15-16)

If you know the story, Boaz and Ruth will eventually marry. In fact, Ruth becomes a member of the bloodline of Jesus – even though she began as a foreigner. It is a remarkable story! However, if she were with us today, I think she could offer some encouraging principles that would help us see the value of NOW.

What Might Ruth Tell Us About Our NOW?

We struggle with NOW’s. If it is sunny, we say things like “yeah, but we really need the rain”. If it is rainy we miss the sun. We tend to miss the value of today because we are hoping for a better tomorrow or reminisce about the glory of yesterday.

Well, what could Ruth possibly offer us today?

Ruth Worked the Problem but Didn’t Let the Problem Work Her

Let’s begin by admitting that problems are real, and it is really tempting to give up to the problem. In other words, it is easy to let the problem work us. But Ruth would encourage us to work the problem instead.

There are several things in the book of Ruth that would be obvious to the Jewish people. One of these deals with the names of the characters and what the meanings add to the “color” of the story. The names, Mahlon and Chilion (Naomi’s sons), translate to “sickness” and “devastation”. This has been the environment of Ruth’s life. In addition to that, although she has been married for 10 years, she is barren. This is what Ruth has been dealing with – family tragedy, separation, and childless.

Have you ever felt that way? You are surrounded by brokenness, devastation, and sickness?

I’m sure that we all have. There are times when even our prayers don’t seem like God is listening. I was reading from a book titled Has God Failed You? by Dr. Michael Brown and this paragraph spoke to me:

We cannot deny that God does answer prayers, and we cannot deny that not all of our prayers are answered when we would like them to be. But rather than this being some kind of cruel game, it is something wonderful, something beautiful and something glorious. God is at work in our lives even when we do not see it or feel it. He is building a deeper relationship with us, teaching us to trust Him and making us into better people in the process. Prayer is much more than simply asking and receiving.[1]

I loved the connection he makes to the relationship that is being built when we are in a place of brokenness. Ruth could have given up but instead she makes a commitment to Naomi and begins to walk around the fields picking up whatever she could. She was working the problem and not letting the problem work her.

Gleanings are Opportunities

I think that Ruth would remind us of something else: gleanings are opportunities. I’m sure you’ve heard the simple story of The Drowning Man:

A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.

Soon a man in a pirogue came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.”

The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.”

So the pirogue went on.

Then a flat bottom fishing boat came by. “The fellow in the boat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.”

To this the stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the flat bottom fishing boat went on.

Then a Coast Guard helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.”

To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, “I had faith in you but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”

To this God replied, “I sent you a pirogue, a fishing boat, and a helicopter, what more did you expect?”

When we get so deluded by negative thoughts and discouragement, we fail to see the opportunities that God is presenting. In combat, soldiers are taught that when you come under fire, you have to get off the “X”. You have to move – or in the case of Ruth – you have to start gleaning and keep on gleaning until you marry the Master of the field!

I believe that God leaves treasures for us to glean all over the place. It is a struggle to master the flesh and operate in the Spirit as we look for opportunities in the middle of the mess but they are there.

Romans 5:3–5 NIV

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Paul recognizes perseverance, character, and hope as products of suffering well. In context Paul’s main point is the persecution of the church but I believe it extends to every aspect of our suffering today. Look for opportunities to glean right now in your life!

Gleanings are Most Often, Unexpected

In the final scene of Tom Hanks movie Forrest Gump he is sitting next to what will soon be the death bed of his love, Jenny. Vietnam was not a picnic for him. He wasn’t on the bayou just watching sunsets. On the news that the love of his life, Jenny had ghosted him, “he rises and, “for no particular reason” decides to “go for a little run”. He runs to the end of the road, the end of town, across Alabama and keeps going until he hits the ocean. Once there he figures: “Since I gone this far, might as well turn around, just keep on going.” He reaches another ocean, then turns and runs back again.”[2]

She asked him if he was afraid in Vietnam. He responses,

“Yes, …I don’t know. Sometimes it would stop raining long enough for the stars to come out. Then it was nice. It was like just before the sun goes to bed down on the bayou. Those million sparkles on the water… Like that mountain lake that was so clear, Jenny. It looked like 2 skies on top of one another. Then, in the desert, when the sun comes up. I couldn’t tell where heaven stopped, and the earth began.”

Gleanings are found in unexpected places.

- Turn to someone around you and tell them, “Gleanings are found in unexpected places.”

- Now, let’s add this statement from Max Lucado…

You'll get through this. It won't be painless. It won't be quick. But God will use this mess for good. In the meantime, don't be foolish or naive. But don't despair either. With God's help you will get through this."

Returns from Gleanings are More than Expected

I’ve decided to use a financial term here. “Returns” are profits that are received from investments. I’ve referred to Ruth many times this morning and you may be wondering how it worked out. Well, she marries the owner of the field – a rich man and kinsman/redeemer. He is a foreshadowing of Jesus and the redemption that Jesus provides.

She also bears a son by the name of Obed. Obed was the grandfather of King David.

Ruth’s faithfulness to Naomi and her determination to scrap and grasp one stalk of grain after another opened the door to receive the blessing of God on her and her family.

Are you tired?

o Renew your commitment to the Lord once again.

o Deepen your relationship with the Lord in prayer.

Do you think that you are trapped in insignificance?

o Trust in God and have faith

o Chose to do and see the things that are in front of you

[1] Brown, Michael S. Has God Failed You? https://books.apple.com/us/book/has-god-failed-you/id1552563321 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/31/the-real-life-forrest-gump-why-did-bob-pope-run-across-the-us-five-times