September-October 2023 - Ruth Gleaning

Many have been inspired by the story of Ruth, the loyal Moabite widow who abandoned her homeland and her gods to move to Judah with her elderly mother-in-law Naomi, promising her, “Your people will be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16, NIV). When the women arrived in Bethlehem they were destitute, and Ruth took the initiative to forage for food.

Ruth Gleaning, a vibrant painting in watercolor, inks, and acrylic, by Israeli artist Chana Helen, illustrates this part of the story and commemorates the Mosaic gleaning laws that provided for the poor. Landowners of ancient Israel were to follow these instructions: “If you are harvesting in your field and overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands” (Deut. 24:19).

In the lower corner of the painting, we see Ruth kneeling at the edge of a field, gleaning the barley left behind. She is both connected to the earth and part of a monumental circle of life-giving grain, painted in fiery reds and yellows. Ruth and the grain are surrounded by a vibrant rainbow — the symbol of the covenant God made with his people in Genesis 9, and a sign of God’s mercy and providence.

Throughout the book of Ruth, we see God at work in the everyday lives of faithful people and through the social practices set up to protect the poor. As you consider this image of Ruth and meditate on her story, consider what institutions and organizations in your community support your most vulnerable members. What can you do to help?

Cover photo courtesy of Chana Helen. ©Chana Helen. Prints of cover art are available from www.chanahelen.com