Handfuls of Purpose

Every time I think about the phrase ‘handfuls of purpose’, I think of the time I was in Bethlehem in May standing in the very field where Boaz left Ruth handfuls of purpose to glean.  The Message Bible puts that verse this way, “Better yet, pull some of the good stuff out and leave it for her to glean. Give her special treatment." Ruth 2:16.  In other words, Boaz commanded the reapers to leave some sheaves for Ruth deliberately and purposefully.  Ruth was not supposed to know that the reapers were commanded to do that by Boaz but she was to think that she had gleaned the sheaves all by herself. 

Two Sundays ago my friends took some colleagues to lunch and afterwards, I joined them to go on a Safari Walk.  I offered to carry Jill’s 5 months daughter for the afternoon.  When we came back, Jill’s daughter was asleep on my arms and so I decided to take her to her house which is only a few meters from our flats.  On our way to her house, Jill asked me to give her 200 shillings.  I gave her the money and when we got to her house, I was so surprised to see how small it was and how crumbed together everything was.  Basically, her place looked like a shack.  I left her place feeling really bad for her.  I started wondering; what if some good Samaritans like Boaz left some handfuls of purpose for Jill for to glean.  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?  

Fast forward to last evening – just before the fellowship, I was feeling so tired and worn out.  As a matter of fact, I found myself thinking I wish I did not have to attend Friday Fellowship with the children.  I even met a colleague just a few minutes before fellowship and I mentioned how tired I was feeling.  He told me, “once a missionary always a missionary, you cannot run away from your calling.”  Then he added, “God will give you the grace.”  How true those two statements were.  One, once called – you cannot run away (remember what happened to Jonah?).  Two, God’s grace will always be sufficient. 

 

Apart from feeling tired, I didn’t feel adequately prepared to teach the children on any subject whatsoever.  But then again, that was not the first time I felt inadequate.  Time and again, God has continued to teach me that it is not by power nor by might but by His Spirit.  As soon I stood to speak, God gave me the words to speak.  How true He is to His word that says, open your mouth and I will fill it (Ps 81:10).  It was like God was dropping handfuls of purpose directly into my spirit. 

 I was so excited as fresh sheaves were dropping from heaven and the children and I were gleaning off the hot presses.  The amazing thing is that I was teaching from Psalm 23, a psalm that I would have normally ignored thinking there is nothing to glean from.  If Ruth, ignored Boaz’ field, would she have received handfuls of purpose from another field?  You tell me.