When Ruth got up to glean, Boaz ordered his young men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, do not insult her. Rather, pull out for her some stalks from the bundles and leave them for her to gather. Do not rebuke her."

Ruth 2:15-16 BSB

Maybe Boaz knew what it was like to be the new person. The one who didn't know quite what to do, what the protocols were. 

Maybe he'd seen lots of "Ruth's" who on their first day don't really know what's what. 

So he tells his team to not just make it easy for her, but not to make her look foolish if she got it wrong (how is she supposed to know?). The people with power and knowledge moved and shifted to accommodate the person with none. 

This generosity of spirit, this manaakitanga, expression of care that allowed Ruth to maintain her mana. 

What a beautiful picture.

A picture that encourages us when we meet people, they come into our house, our church, our space, that we accommodate, shift, allow them to maintain their mana, their dignity. 

We might not be a Big Boss like Boaz, but we can replicate his heart of care for those on the margins wherever we find ourselves.

#bookofRuth

#belikeboaz

#lovepeople

#manaakitanga