My great-uncle’s memorial service featured a meal of roast beef, corn, and beans to honor the hospitality that he and his wife had lived out for many years. Each Sunday morning, they would put a large roast and veggies in the Crock-Pot before going to church. After the service, they would look for someone to invite for lunch. Sometimes it was a good friend, sometimes a stranger. Either way, they made sure there was plenty of food at home and those afternoons were especially set aside for hospitality.
Their Sunday habit required an intentional readiness for generosity. The Israelites followed a similar pattern. Through Moses, God commanded them to leave a portion of their food “for the poor and the foreigner” (Leviticus 19:10). During harvest time, they were instructed not to reap to the edges of their field, leave what had fallen, and not re-harvest their vineyards (vv. 9-10). With these redeeming methods, those who didn’t own land could still work to gather food. For the people of God, this wasn’t a one-time, spontaneous act—although that can be a beautiful blessing too. It was how they lived year after year.
There are opportunities all around us to show Jesus’ hospitable love. Some we can’t prepare for; some we can. As God helps us, let’s consider how we can treat others kindly today (v. 33).
Where is God calling you to be generous? What does it look like to be ready to show love and kindness?
Dear Jesus, You modeled perfect love and self-sacrifice. Please help me to be ready to show Your love to others.
God promised to abundantly provide food for His people (Leviticus 25:18-19), and so, in remembrance of their enslavement in Egypt, He commanded them to feed the poor and needy (19:9-10; Deuteronomy 24:19-22). The story of Ruth took place in the backdrop of this law of gleaning (Ruth 2). God also wants us to be open-handed with his material blessings (see Deuteronomy 15:7-11). The apostle Paul says that God gives us material blessings for our enjoyment and commands believers in Jesus “to use their money to do good. . . . Be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others” (1 Timothy 6:18 nlt). Today, because God has richly given to us, we can look for opportunities to be generous to others.
