Extending Boundaries – The Book of Ruth
November 19, 2014 | Anita Retzlaff

Grace and peace to you from the God who blessed Ruth and Boaz, our ancestors in the faith, in another time and place, long ago. Ruth is a delightful little story of community sandwiched between the nasty violence of the Book of Judges and the long drawn out story of Israel's kings and their misfortunes.  It seems that the only one who really gets it right is Ruth. Her story is a radical reversal of the shenanigans of the judges and kings.  Their business is about the interplay of faith and power. The power of the kings and judges is misdirected over and over; the end run resulting in idolatry and slaughter; the stuff of high drama and intrigue.  Ruth's business is about faith too but from the perspective of survival in hostile surroundings, wherein gathering strength through good will and caring for others, the community is built up and lives with blessing. 

During the Children's Time we heard the story of Ruth sketched out briefly.  In the scripture text that was read just now the initial encounter between Boaz and Ruth is told. Ruth, a Moabite alien and therefore an enemy of Israel, commits her life to her mother-in-law Naomi and to Israel’s God. Destitute, disenfranchised and totally unprotected in God’s country Ruth crosses all manner of boundaries in hostile and foreign territory in order that she and Naomi - both widows - might merely survive starvation and avoid molestation.  These two women exist on the fringes of society as cast offs and social burdens. Can you imagine the fear with which they lived?

There is a difficult story to tell in our own community: a story in which friends and members of our congregations were recently threatened and marginalized. On Saturday, November 1 the Mennonite Church Saskatchewan event “Equipping to Listen” was held at First Mennonite Church. Mennonites from all over our province gathered to gain clarity and discuss the details of our Safe Church and Hiring policies.  After the session and in the parking lot an elderly gentleman approached a young gay man and assaulted him with these words: "When we had sick animals on the farm we would take them behind the barn and shoot them.”  This dehumanizing and fear-inducing act tears at the very fabric of community blessing and hospitality.  It is more the story of the Judges bearing no resemblance to the story of Ruth.  This encounter is having a powerful effect on our community and it is an act of hostility which we are now attempting to re-make, transform into a peaceable way. Let the love of Jesus assist us in finding a path into a community of blessing and provide the care for our friends who have been so offended against.

Ruth’s is a story of finding a “good” way out of “no” way. As she first did to another, to Naomi, so was she soon included and cared for and loved. Boaz, an influential man and employer watches this woman at the fringes.  He is a man filled with blessing to begin with. We hear him greet the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.” His encounters with Ruth turn into a love story. All around this community is the expression of inclusion and care. This is exceptional in view of many of the Old Testament stories that we have read.  Anyone who has experienced hospitality in foreign settings knows the value of such care and attention.

Eric Epp has experienced such hospitality recently and I call him forward for a moment.  

• Where have you travelled in the last couple of years?
• Can you describe a situation or two in which particular communities had an impact on you?
• Did people risk or give up anything in order to provide hospitality?
• How have these encounters changed you?

The alien Ruth is concerned first and foremost for her mother-in-law’s welfare. She puts everything on the line in caring for Naomi. She trusts the God of Israel to watch over them and it makes her bold.  In overcoming the distance between neighbours - enemies actually - she contributes to shalom in the community.  This is the radical call of God to all people; to open up boundaries and barriers and set aside hostilities to make peace and real prosperity in the sight of God.  It is our mission – each one of us.

A few short years ago Allan and Renata Klassen built a community garden.  They started from scratch – literally – and because of their vision have provided a place where community comes together and people get to know others. The garden is just past Market Mall across from the Ilarion Residence on Louise Avenue.

Renata has agreed to speak to a few questions that I have for her.

• So, who came together to garden?
• Describe the realities of some of the people who have participated.
• What were some of the hurdles to overcome in building and maintaining this gardening community?
• Could you describe a couple of the relationships that were fostered as a result?

I imagine that both Renata and Allan will shrug off any accolades for what they have started in their community and yet they have done a brave thing. It is not necessarily easy for most of us to step out of our comfort zone and extend ourselves beyond that with which we are familiar.  But that is what it often takes to engage in community-building activities.  We have to push past our fear of failure, of meeting new people, of feeling uncomfortable in new situations. Providing hospitality and building community requires that we set aside our stereotypes of those whom we consider “outsiders” or aliens: newcomers to our land.

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a story that helps us imagine how we might extend care beyond our boundaries and push past our fear.  This is the time to listen to our Muslim neighbours because they are being maligned world-wide and lumped into the category of “terrorist.” This is the time to listen to our Indigenous neighbours because we as settlers have not been faithful friends over the last 150 years.  This is the time to listen to our LGBTQ neighbours – children, brothers, sisters and friends who have been marginalized by religious rhetoric  and fear.  We have a pattern to follow: the blessing, redemption and inclusion lived out in the love story of Boaz and Ruth.  We have another love story to follow. The peaceable path of Jesus Christ who through the grace of God has blessed, redeemed and included each one of us.  In Jesus we have the solution to our community woes; a radical love that transforms emptiness to fullness, neighbour to friend and death to life.  Thanks be to God the One who first loved us.  AMEN