Random Accidents?
And she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz Ruth 2:3
Happened – This world believes in serendipity. That’s the “happy accidents” perspective. In general, we have forgotten what every believing Jew knows is at the core of existence. The truth is that God is in charge. Therefore, there are no “accidents” in life. Oswald Chambers knew it too. He often said that God engineers all of our circumstances in order to bring about His will for our lives. The contrast between serendipity and divine intention is the context of the book of Ruth. God moves through the lives of every character in this story, orchestrating human interactions to bring about a plan that reaches far beyond their lives.
But that doesn’t mean the players are aware of God’s design. In this verse, we come across the word qāreh, a Hebrew word that means “a chance event that occurs without human planning.” We see the same word in 1 Samuel 6:9 where the Philistines consider the return of the ark to be determined by chance. Miqreh is a word that describes the human perspective on life; that short-range, limited-sight view that can’t see the deeper purposes in events. Ruth thought she ended up in the field of Boaz by accident. Too many times we are just like Ruth; wanderers in the kingdom of serendipity.
Think about the circumstances of your life. Are you a Naomi whose identity is determined by the tragic events she endures? Or are you a Ruth who thinks that life happens by accident? Are you an Elimelech who lives under the banner of “God is King”? Or are you a Boaz whose actions reflect a life that finds strength in Him? All of these players are part of the divine planning found in this tiny book squeezed in between the history of the judges of Israel and the stories of the kings of Israel. God is working on a cosmic plan through the lives of ordinary people. The same God is working in your ordinary life, shaping a story of universal proportions with insignificant individuals. Ruth, the nobody from nowhere important, is woven into the history of the King of kings. God knew there was a plan even if she thought it was just serendipity. What does that tell you about your perspective on life?
Topical Index: happen, chance, qāreh, Ruth 2:3
