Awaken The Ruth in You

Awaken the Ruth in You Emmanuel Sthembela Jiyane
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This is my gratefulness to God for the gift of teaching, speaking and writing.
This is my thankfulness to my children for loving me, to the congregate of the Tuesday Bible classes
we attended, to the reactions in my social network ministry, to former colleagues in the DBE, and to
the people who attended gatherings in which I spoke.
I am indebted to Pastor G.V.E. Lunga, an English Language teacher and a church leader; for proof-
reading and content editing.
Thank you to the Bible Society of South Africa.

Thank you to Oshyn Publishers for cover page designing, ISBN provision, book layout designing,
typesetting, publishing and printing.
DEDICATION
Mrs Thabsile Nene
COPYRIGHT
Mr ES kaGome Jiyane @2020

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation
(NLT). Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NOTE
Ruth 3:11 “Now do not worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in
town knows you are a virtuous woman”
INTRODUCTION
The Bible is full of many inspirational women, who appear in a verse like the woman who killed
Sisera (Jud 4:21); in a paragraph like the widow of Sarephath (1 Ki 17:8-24); in a chapter like Hannah
(1 Sam 1); and whole book like Ruth (Ru 1-4).
Ruth, a Moabite woman, became a widow of an Israelite man. She relocated to Bethlehem with her
mother-in-law. Ruth was both foreign and poor, therefore she qualified to glean, according to
Leviticus 23:22 (NLT) “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the
edges of your fields, and do not pick what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the
foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.” This allowed Ruth to say to her mother-in-law
“let me go to the fields…” Ruth progressed from poverty to prosperity.
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There are four levels in a farm: a gleaner (the lowest, not even an employee), a harvester, a harvest
foreman, and the field owner (the highest). Ruth was able to progress from the lowest to the highest
level of employment (and life). What did Ruth do correctly? What can we learn from Ruth?
This book, Awaken the Ruth in You, deals with 15 characteristics that Ruth had, amongst many,
which I believe ensured her achievements in the four critical levels of her life: from gleaner to field
owner, from widow to wife, from sonless to a mother, and from a Moabite (foreign and gentile) to
Israelite (native and a believer). The book of Ruth starts with dislocation, famine, and death. It is
aspiring that it ends with relocation, abundance and birth. I hope you grow from strength to
strength, as you read this book, Awaken the Ruth in You.
This book is challenging you to read characteristics that will allow you to progress from the lowest
level of your life to the highest. Be at work, home, church, community, or at school.
Read each characteristic with appreciation as you progress from your lowest to your highest.
Awaken the Ruth in you.
SURROUND YOURSELF
Ruth 1:14c “But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi”

“Surround yourself with those who bring out the best in you” Roman Jancic
Ruth was valued by Naomi. Naomi loved her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, that she wished she
had sons or she could still bore sons to ensure they get married to them and they remain her
daughters. Naomi instructed them to go back to their people and their gods. Orpah left. Ruth clung
tightly to Naomi. Ruth knew her worth to Naomi. Ruth progressed from poverty to prosperity
because she knew how much she was worth to the people that surrounded her.
The brothers of Joseph felt the worth of their brother was 20 pieces of silver. Delilah was made to
believe Samson was worth 1,100 silver pieces to each leader of the Palestine. And Judas accepted
that Jesus was worth 30 pieces of silver. How much do you think you are worth? I mean to the
people you surround yourself with. I am told that some of our daughters would befriend a beautiful
girl so that they go with her to entertainment places. This beautiful woman will attract men who are
going to buy drinks for all of them. Usually it ends with this man sleeping with this beautiful young
woman. So, is she saying her body is worth alcohol?
Sometimes we are not worth money because people repay us with betrayal, break-ups, sabotage,
hatred, with gossip, and lies, amongst many. Why do we lie to or about someone we love? It is
because we take them cheap, their worth means nothing to us? If they mean a lot, we would protect
them with all our power. Why so much abuse and femicide? It’s because a partner is worth nothing
to the boyfriend! If you love someone and she thinks the grass is greener on the other side, then let
go of that person. Naomi let go of Orpah; out of love. A future is not tied to someone who left in the
past. Ruth had a better future, she surrounded herself with Naomi.
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I am told of a story that a taxi was travelling from Newcastle to one of the nearby townships. One
beautiful lady received a call and she said “do not worry my love, I will see you when I come back, I
am currently in a taxi to Pietermaritzburg to attend my uncle’s funeral”. Another equally good-
looking young lady answered her ringing phone “yes father, I am in a taxi to Durban now, it has left
Newcastle”. There was an old man who was also a passenger, and had listened to both
conversations. He said “driver, pull over, I need to know if I am in a wrong taxi, these people are not
going to where I am going.” That’s it! Get out! The destinations are not the same. Do not keep
people because you are coming from far. Are you going far? Samuel Johnson wrote “the future is
purchased by the present”. The people you surround yourself with tell us more about your future,
than you do. Surround yourself with people of your destination. Ruth and Naomi were going to the
same destination.
Others surround themselves with you as long as you are useful to them. Others surround themselves
with you as long as you are at your lowest. The Bible teaches us about a man who stayed in
cemeteries. He was chained and used to injure himself. Jesus came and freed this man from what
possessed him. The people in the community chased the healed man. Let’s reason here; this man
was injuring himself but they did not come to him. But as soon as he was healed, they considered
him a threat! No! They wanted him at his lowest; he was fine at his lowest. That’s typical of man!
They will not give you employment. They will never open doors for you because they want you
begging at you lowest. They do this so that they can decide when and what to do and you will have
no say. Ruth surrounded herself with Naomi, as a gleaner and field owner. Surround yourself with
people who want to see the upgraded version of you.
There is a story I read in social networks, of the first black president of the USA, Barack Obama. Mr
Obama was having a meal with his wife, Michelle, in a restaurant. This happened while he was still
president. A man came to greet and Michelle exchanged hugs with this man. She asked Barack to
excuse her to have a chat with that man. After some time, she came back to her husband. Barack
couldn’t help it; he asked his wife who that man was. She told him that this man was actually her
first boyfriend and was the owner of the very establishment they were eating in. Barack sarcastically
said “if you married him, you would own this nice place.” Michelle responded “no, I would still be
first lady, with him being president.” Michelle knew her worth!
Surround yourself with people who will know how to comfort you during your lows, to cheer you up
during your highs, to encourage you, and who are willing to walk greater distances with you. They
will walk with you from Moab to Bethlehem. If they are not willing to go all the way with you, find
those who are willing. Let go of those who are not willing. In boxing as a sport, it is very important
who is in your corner. Surrounding yourself with people who are willing is a requirement for
progress. Learn to let go of people who are not helping you reach your destination.
Do not surround yourself with the following people: Peter was rebuked by Jesus when he denied
that crucifixion would take place. He became a stumbling block and a distraction for Jesus’
destination. Let go of people who are a stumbling block to your destination. Ham exposed the
nakedness of Noah. Let go of people who go around discussing your nakedness; your weaknesses.
Absalom saw himself as a better king than his father. Let go of people who think less of others and
think they can do better than them. Gehaz received a gift as if he was sent by Elisha who had healed
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a commander. Let go of people who are making profit using your gift. Eliab questioned David when
David offered to fight with Goliath. Let go of people who doubt you. You dream of becoming a
doctor and you hear him say “No, friend, like really, do you see a doctor in you?” Delilah asked
Samson where his powers were, with an intention to destroy. Let go of people who come to your life
to destroy. Michal, a wife of David, criticised David when he danced for the Lord, upon fetching the
Ark of the Covenant. Michal never connected with David as a king and a worshipper; she still
connected to a young David who served her father with harp and as a soldier. Let go of people who
never connect with your growth. Ruth stayed with Naomi connected with each other in their growth.
Ruth and Naomi connected with each other even in their growth. Remember that they came from
Moab poor but when Boaz redeemed the land that means Naomi would be rich also. That is very
important. You must be able to connect with someone even in growth. Naomi knew Ruth was
progressing from poverty to prosperity, from gleaner to field owner and from widow to a wife. She
was no longer a gleaner who would only provide a meal for today only but she would be able to
provide for a lifetime. If someone has become a pastor, even if you know him as a thief, connect
with growth. Michal couldn’t relate to the growth of her husband and this is linked to her not being
able to bear children. Mordecai changed behaviour around Queen Esther even though she was his
foster child. People of your walk will relate to your growth. They will know what to do around you.
Levels of giving and receiving grow as a person grows, and so are the levels of teaching and learning.
Surrounding yourself does not mean you need many people to support you or your vision. When
God said to Gideon “you have too many warriors with you”, He meant that! Life is not about
surrounding yourself with many people but useful people. You need to keep your circle tighter.
Daniel in the Bible had only 3 friends, who prayed for him when interpreting dreams. Do they pray
for you? Esther was surrounded by people who also wanted to become queens. Someone may see
them as competitors, but they were people of her walk. Surround yourself with people of your walk,
of your destination.
Surround yourself with people of your walk. There are people of your destination and your vision.
You have the same dreams, same paths and same destination. Paul stayed with other tentmakers.
Peter asked other fishermen to help with the nets when there were too many fish he caught.
Nehemiah surrounded himself with people who had courage to build. David surrounded himself with
loyal and courageous people. The following are some of the characteristics of how you would
identify people of your walk:
1. You are like-minded with them: Naomi and Ruth were like-minded. They had the same mind
for the present and the same mind for the future. People of your walk will have the same mind
with you. Those you are in business with understand that you must make profit, those you are
in relationship with know that you must be happy, and those you fellowship with understand
that you must grow spiritually. The people of your walk have the same mind with you about
how things will end. It’s not about the start but the end. It’s about finishing strong. Being like-
minded, you also respect boundaries and decisions to be separated. Jesus told his disciples
that there is no greater amongst you. You are walking together, therefore you are equal. You
must serve each other. The one who leads must be serving you, rather than you serving him.
When Nehemiah was building the walls of Jerusalem, they were working side by side. No one
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was better. No one was greater. People of your walk are equal to you. Even if they are your
boss, your pastor, your father, you are equals. They may have more money than you, more
experience than you, or money years than you; but you are equal in your walk. You are equal
in your journey. Ruth and Naomi both were poor, childless and widowed but wanted better
life. Surround yourself with people who are ambitious and hopeful like you.
2. They give you a platform: Naomi gave Ruth the platform to go and grow. Ruth went to
Bethlehem. Ruth went to the fields of Boaz. Ruth went to the threshing floor. Naomi allowed
Ruth a platform to progress. Jesus sent his discipline to go and preach. He gave them a
platform to express themselves. People of your walk will create and give you a platform so that
you get out of your comfort zone to unknown waters. Giving you a platform does not mean
you must undermine your people. Giving you a platform does not give you a luxury to demand
to be released and start your own thing. Allow yourself to grow around your people.
3. They help you go further: Naomi lost her husband and sons. But she encouraged Ruth to find a
husband and bear a son. She taught Ruth for this moment. She trained Ruth for this moment.
She released Ruth to this moment. She wanted Ruth to have things she didn’t have because
she wanted Ruth to go further, to achieve more and do better than her. Jesus spoke to his
disciples that they will do more miracles than him. People of your walk want you to go further.
They want you to reach places they have never reached. People of your walk are people who
are there to raise you, not to erase you. They have hope for your success. As a Mathematics
teacher, I have worked hard to produce more than thirty medical doctors because I want
people to go further.
4. They are honest: Naomi was honest to Ruth. She told Ruth to go back to her people. She was
truthful to her. They had a relationship that was built on a solid foundation. They trusted each
other. They loved each other. There were no lies. The relationship was not built on improper
foundation. Improper foundation means anything that can burn if tested by fire and burn.
Money can burn, but not love and certainly not honesty. People of your walk will build a
relationship with you, based on a solid foundation. They will build this according to hope, to
faith and to love. Paul loved the Corinthians and he taught them that no matter what gift you
serve your people with, love must lead.
5. You have shared values and beliefs: Naomi and Ruth first agreed on the beliefs, as Ruth
presented that Naomi’s God will be her God. Believing in the same concepts help avoid
arguments. Imagine dating someone and she falls pregnant and tells you she will need some
traditional medicine to protect the child. If you don’t believe in such, what will happen to your
child? People of your walk believe in the same cultures, religions, theories, etc. with you.
People of your walk will have the same interests with you or will develop them. People of your
walk will share the same passion with you. Surround yourself with people who share the same
values and beliefs with you.
6. They support your vision: Naomi had a clear vision about Ruth obtaining a husband. She had a
path that was clear with a direction. Naomi was sticking to her choice no matter what. Boaz
had proposed that there might be someone else to redeem Ruth, but Naomi had a clear
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picture that it was to be Boaz. Naomi was clear. Naomi even said that she knew Boaz wouldn’t
rest until the matter was settled. People of your walk support your clear vision. They have a
clear picture of what will happen, how it will happen, when it will happen, and where it will
happen. They have pictured you in the end and they are clear. They are supporting you all the
way because of this clarity. They understand that there will be thorns and obstacles along the
way. But the vision is clear “we want you to be there”. Surround yourself with people who
support your vision.
7. They point you to something better: Naomi pointed Ruth to Boaz. They will point you to
something better even if you think you know something better. Priest Eli told Samuel that
there is a better voice than him. He must learn to listen to the voice. The voice will give him
direction. Samuel listened to the voice. Prophet Elisha pointed Naaman to river Jordan
although Naaman said he knew better rivers. John the Baptist pointed his disciples to Jesus.
“Here is something better”. Jesus pointed the woman of Samaria to better water even though
she said the water from the well of Jacob was better. Naomi knew that they needed Boaz to
help them out of poverty. Marriage of Ruth to Boaz will ensure that they are stable financially
as he would redeem both the land and Ruth. Redeeming Ruth would mean a change from
poverty to prosperity, widow to wife, sonless to a mother, foreign to native, and gleaner to
field owner. Apostle Paul was grateful to people who help Timothy grow. People of your walk
will always understand that you may need other people to help in certain aspects. They will
respect that other people will contribute towards your growth. Other people may offer better
help in other aspects. People of your walk will always point you to something better. Better
education and better hustle.
8. You will be chosen with them: Even when Ruth was married, Naomi was part of the family. She
served as a nanny to Ruth but was vital to the growth of Obed. Daniel was chosen with his
three friends as they met the requirements of the king. They were to serve on different
capacities but were chosen together. People of your walk will be chosen with you. You may
have a company or a partnership together. These are people you may have different business
ideas yet they complement each other. When Daniel was interpreting the dreams of the king,
his friends were praying that God gave him the appropriate interpretation. One may be
interested in computers and the other in transportation. But when the computers are
purchased, they need transportation. People of your walk must be chosen when you are
chosen so that they complement you.
9. They may leave (release) you: Naomi knew that Ruth will leave her to be with her husband.
The disciples knew that Jesus will leave them one day. Jacob and Laban separated after so
many years together as farmers. Maybe Ruth was not matured or knowledgeable but Naomi
released her. Releasing a person means that you trust them they will be able to discern and
take wise decisions. The only way to get experience is to do the actual work. People of your
walk will allow you to leave so that you grow as you acquire experience. People of your walk
are not the people who want you to serve their vision and keep you as a slave. It may not be
permanent. Surround yourself with bold people who are open to you leaving them or them
leaving you.
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10. They give and receive: Naomi was giving wisdom and insight to Ruth. Boaz was giving food to
Ruth in the fields. They received her kindness and thankfulness. Naomi gave instructions to
Ruth and Ruth was teachable. Boaz gave Ruth food in the threshing floor. People of your walk
will give you attention, advice, money, skill, etc. They will expect to receive respect and
acknowledgment. Expectations are hard but they are an important part of any relationship. A
loving husband expects a submissive wife and a submissive wife expects a loving husband. A
supporting parent expects an honouring child. A well-paying manager expects high quality
work. Expectations are normal. Expectations are healthy. Expectations are expected. The
kindness that Boaz learnt about from Ruth, he reciprocated it. The goodness that Ruth had
shown to Naomi, Boaz showed to Ruth. Samuel had a father in Priest Eli and he learnt. He had
to teach people who followed him like King Saul. People of your walk learn how to treat others
good and they reciprocate that treatment. They enlighten and do not have a problem with
being enlightened. People of your walk learn from you and reciprocate. People of your walk
learn from others and reciprocate.
11. They appreciate you: Naomi appreciated what Ruth was doing for her. Boaz appreciated what
Ruth was doing for Naomi. People of your walk will appreciate the light you bring to their
darkness. They will appreciate the love you bring to hatred, the peace you bring to war, the
kindness you bring to harshness, and the humbleness you bring to pride. People of your walk
will appreciate the little and kind gestures you offer like asking “how was your day?” They will
appreciate the things you do on their behalf. People of your walk will appreciate the effort,
without criticism and further expectations.
12. They support you in the background: Naomi supported Ruth in the background. Ruth would
glean and harvest and she went to the threshing floor. Naomi may have not been visible but
she was supportive. As Joshua was fighting the Amalekites, Moses was supporting Joshua by
raising the staff. Moses was not fighting, but he did his part so that there was victory. In the
movie Creed 2, Rocky Balbao was in the corner of Adonas Creed when the coach of his
opponent threw the towel to stop the fight. They should know when to support you and when
to stop the fight. If they see you can still fight, they must encourage you. There is no need for
them to be seen supporting you. Even when not seen, they are there, always. That support is
genuine.
13. They are committed to you: Ruth was committed to Naomi. She left her native land of Moab to
Bethlehem with Naomi. Ruth was not clear of her gain in Bethlehem but she was committed to
Naomi. When Elisha left with Elijah, he committed himself to Elijah. He slaughtered his oxen
and burnt wood from his farming equipment. Stick around people of your walk. Follow each
other even if others leave. Ruth followed even when Orpah left. Sometimes it’s only one
person who knows the route and you have to follow. Isaac had to stick around for Abraham to
lead. Stick around. People of your walk will be committed to the journey. To them, it’s not
about the distance, speed and time; it’s about finally getting there. They are faithful to the
journey. They are willing. They are determined.
14. They allow you to reach your full potential: Naomi wanted Ruth to reach her full potential of
being a wife, mother, field owner and an Israelite. Your family may give your skills and
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characteristics but you still need mighty men like David needed them and disciples like Jesus
needed them. People of your walk will see to it that you reach your full potential. They will
help you reach all the levels of your calling and fulfil your goals and purpose. They will not rest
if you haven’t acquired that house, marriage partner, good job, business, and investments.
People of your walk know your full potential. Half is not enough. Being close is not enough.
People of your walk know that the destination is the full potential.
15. They always pick you up: Boaz was there to pick Ruth after she was rejected by the nearest
kinsman redeemer. Moses was there to help Zipporah to deal with the sheep when some men
refused that she guides them to drink. John picked up Mary when Jesus died. People of your
walk will be there to pick you up after tragedy and loss. They will be there to pick you up after
failures and disappointments. They will show up when you have exhausted all your options
and they will lend a hand. Your people will be a shoulder to cry on but at the same time tells
you that the same tears will not allow you to see other opportunities. When one door closes,
they will tell you that prepare yourself, for other doors are about to be opened.
16. They struggle and triumph with you: Naomi and Ruth travelled distances together. They were
both poor and widows when they relocated to Bethlehem. When Boaz redeemed Ruth, they
were both victorious. Ruth ate with the person she struggled with. It’s not about seasons or
places. It’s not about circumstances or events. Through the valleys and mountains, they will
stick with you. People of your walk will be with your during studies, applications for jobs or
businesses, and your personal quests. They will be with you through thick and thin. And they
will be there for your graduation, appointments, and promotions. The poorness of Ruth meant
the poorness of Naomi. As Ruth remained with no son, so did Naomi. They shared trials and
tribulations. They were together on the lows. A person may be your colleague, relative,
neighbour, or church mate; it doesn’t mean they are people of your walk. Do they share the
pain with you? A friend lost his mother and he complained to me about people who never sent
condolences or ask if they could lend a hand. Those are not his people. Your people know your
trials and share them with you. Your loss is their loss. Surround yourself with people who are
going to be with you in your highs and your lows. Naomi was overjoyed when Ruth was
redeemed by Boaz. People of your walk will partake in your joy. They are not jealous of your
gifts, talents, skills and your calling. What makes you happy makes them happy; as long as it is
moral and lawful. They are happy for the harvest, for the rewards, for the results, and for the
awards. Naomi understood that things connect; Ruth’s low is also her low and Ruth’s high is
also her high.
17. They are still receiving: Naomi received the message that there was food in Bethlehem. Lot
followed Abraham because he was still receiving as he continued building different altars.
Elijah received the message that he must appoint Hazael, then Jehu and then Elisha. Ruth
followed Naomi. Isaac followed Abraham. Elisha followed Elijah. People of your walk must be
people who are still acquiring knowledge. It must be people who are still learning or have a
teachable spirit. They must have fresh truths. They must be receiving new revelations. Their
knowledge must be extended. This will also help keep up with your growth. A mentor must be
upgrading himself to be relevant. A spiritual father must be reading to align himself with the
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growth of sons. Ruth said to Naomi “I will follow your lead” because she was still receiving.
Don’t follow people who have blocked knowledge.
18. They are optimistic: Naomi was positive about the outcome of the meeting between Ruth and
Boaz and the meeting between Boaz and the nearest kinsman redeemer. She believed that
Boaz couldn’t rest until the matter was settled. People of your walk will create a positive
atmosphere that you will be victorious. That CV you have sent, that business plan you
forwarded, that manuscript you e-mailed to the publishers, and that loan application; will
succeed. People of your walk will tell you to act, improve, and act again; until you get it right.
With these people, success is certain. They are always seeing positive in a negative, light in
darkness, progress in a halt, and they hope in hopeless situation. Naomi saw the goodness in
Ruth. Boaz saw the goodness in Ruth. Jesus saw the goodness in Peter. People of your walk
will see the goodness in you. They know you may be angry and say disturbing words. They
know you may be caught between a rock and a hard place and commit a crime. They know you
may be tempted. And they will say “you learnt; life goes on.” They will see light in your
darkness, prosperity in your poverty, and progress in your stagnation. They will know that you
always mean well. They will know you mean no harm if you correct them.
19. They feed you properly: It reflected on Ruth what Naomi was feeding her. She was humble.
She was working hard. She was thankful. The attitude you show to people is the output of
what you were fed. If you were fed that someone is your parents’ enemy, you end up hating
that person. There are people who hate Mathematics because they were fed wrong
information about the subject. People of your walk will always feed you positive things. Joshua
came back with a positive report out of Canaan because he was fed positivity. In a small cloud,
if you see rain, you are feed positivity. Be thankful to your people. Feed people positivity and
be fed positivity.
20. They are protective: Boaz was protective as he warned young men to touch Ruth. Naomi was
protective as she told Ruth how to approach Boaz, so to avoid disappointments. David
protected his people from the wrath of Goliath. David was protected by his men, like Joab and
Benaiah, when his kingdom was threatened by Absalom and later Adonijah. People of your
walk will always shield you from harm. Others may even take a few lashes on your behalf.
They will build huge walls around you so to be protected. People will have to go through them
to get to you. This is the attitude David had when he confronted Goliath.
21. They are action-driven: Naomi and Ruth always spoke of “let me go to the fields…” and “go to
the threshing floor”. They were action people. They were doers. Ruth went to the gates to
meet Boaz. People of your walk will encourage and allow you to do something. Talk is cheap.
Do something. Launch a brand. Start a class. Create a social network group. Go to the gates.
Get out of what traps you. Get out of what is holding you back. Go out and come back
stronger. Go out and come back with a changed title, job, financial situation, and health
condition. Be a doer. Take actions. Talk is cheap! Be action-driven.
22. They may take decisions on your behalf: Ruth took a decision to go to the fields so that she can
take care of Naomi. Boaz went to Ruth’s nearest kinsman redeemer and took a decision after
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the nearest kinsman declined redeeming Ruth. People of your walk know your limitations.
They will therefore take decisions that impact you, on your behalf; to benefit you. People of
your walk will know when you do not have money to partake in a trip and may come in to
boost you. People of your walk will know when you need a job or increase an income. People
of your walk will take important decisions on your behalf and you will never go back to poverty
again. They will sign deals on your behalf. Not deals that will make you bankrupt but deals to
prosper you.
23. They deal well with your background: Naomi understood the background Ruth was coming
from. Ruth was from Moab. People of your walk will understand your background and how to
make the most out of your present. People come from backgrounds with divisions,
competitions, favouritism, hatred, fights, poverty and abuse. People of your walk may find you
lost but will show you the way. They may find you rejected but they will accept you. People of
your walk will deal with your background so well that you will never remember that you were
a gleaner, a widow, sonless, and foreign.
24. They know your strengths and weaknesses: Naomi knew Ruth had strength of working hard
and Boaz knew she had a weakness of being poor. Other rich people would have taken
advantage of Ruth. Young men would have taken advantage of a poor young widow sexually.
People of you walk will not exploit you based on your weakness. They will encourage you to
work on your strengths until your weakness becomes your strength. They were with Ruth until
her weakness of being a widow was turned to a wife. Also, your people must help you to take
the paths necessary for poor people. You need to walk the walk so that you get out of poverty.
Ruth gleaned. Samson hunted. Peter fished.
25. They believe in you: Ruth may have left her family but she surely found family in Naomi.
Naomi believed in her and her abilities. People of your walk will believe in you and trust in
your abilities. These are people who are going to leave you in the room with their kids because
they trust you as a parent-figure. These are people who are going to lend you big monies
because they believe the business you are starting will thrive. These are people who believe in
your talents, gifts, abilities and efforts. People of your walk believe in your words. They believe
in your actions. They believe in you being corrected. They will believe in you when you say you
have changed. People of your walk believe in you.
26. They are flexible: Naomi was an old widow but was able to fit into the shoes of Ruth and
communicated with her. People of your walk will be flexible. Jesus was a carpenter but walked
with fishermen and tax collectors. They will look at alternatives and options on the table. A
teacher must be able to be friends with police to learn the law, nurses to appreciate health,
and vendors to appreciate hustling. People of your walk should be able to accommodate you
despite your career and background and be flexible around you. This may need flexibility with
time, growth, money, and availability. What about bird of the same feather? Not with people
of your walk. A police man can walk with a known thief, so he changes his ways.
27. They believe there is a way out: The God that brought us this far will not forsake us. Naomi
believed in these words. Moses believed in these words. David believed in these words. People
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of your walk will believe there is a way out. They will work with you and for you to look for the
way out. They will look for doors to get out. They will create a way out. People of your walk
will tell you there is a way out even in the greatest of troubles. They will tell you that you will
come out alive in hospital, in jail or out of any situation. People of your walk will do research of
people who have found a way out. They will search for alternatives of other ways out.
Surrounding yourself with these people means you are getting out. You are getting out of
poverty!
28. They communicate: Naomi talked and listened to Ruth. Jesus spoke and listened to his
disciples. They were transparent. People of your walk communicate transparently about any
boundaries, rules and what will happen if violated. People of your walk want to listen to your
dreams and ambitions. They want to speak to you about your struggles and victories. They
want to encourage you on your hopes and wishes. All these need that they communicate with
you and may use calls, social networks or meetings. Distance means nothing to people of your
walk. They may travel greater distances so to connect with you like Jethro travelled to his son-
in-law Moses. Jesus confronted Peter when he failed to walk in water and rebuked him for
having little or no faith. He confronted him telling him to man up, to have faith, and walk in
faith. People of your walk will confront you and you will rectify your mistakes. They will
confront you about your bad habits, you neglecting your children, you not supporting your
parents, you undermining your supervisors at work, etc. People of your walk will correct you.
Accept correction, guidance and constructive criticism. Do not expect that people of your walk
will ignore your mistakes and inappropriate behaviour.
29. They are respectful: Ruth told Naomi that she will do everything she says. Ruth was respectful.
She was polite. People of your walk will be respectful. They will have a polite way to refuse to
what you tell them. They will have a polite way to tell you they will look into what you are
saying. You must learn all this also. Respect goes a long way. Respect does not consider age or
other status. People of your walk will be people who respect people of all walks in life. People
of your walk may have different beliefs to other people but will respect their opinions and
beliefs. But be warned, being respectful doesn’t mean you agree and follow such beliefs.
30. You are comfortable around them: Ruth was comfortable around Naomi, even in poverty.
Jacob was comfortable when he stayed with Laban. He got married. He prospered. People of
your walk will know how to elevate you while also keeping you on the ground. You feel free
around them but also accountable. You have confidence around them. You know that they
make you happy; they know things that make you happy. People of your walk will not judge
but advice. You are comfortable because you know even if you are wrong; they will not go
around spreading it as news. Boaz had everything and would acquire what he wanted. He
commanded respected. He was financially stable. He was healthy. People of your walk should
be people capable of acquiring financial stability, practicing healthy habits, and growing
spiritually. How would they care for your state of health if they are not healthy? Prophet
Nathan cared for the welfare of King David and David was comfortable around him. People of
your walk must be wise to offer wisdom. They must be financially stable to offer financial
wisdom. Solomon was wealthy and spoke to his children about investments, debts, savings,
budget and hard working in his proverbs.
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BE WILLING TO CHANGE
Ruth 1:16c “Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God”
“If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get the results” Jack
Dixon
Ruth was willing to change so that she could progress from poverty to prosperity. Ruth was Moabite
and had another god different from the God of Naomi. Ruth had just suffered undesirable changes
as she lost her husband. She was willing to change. In a world full of negatives, it has been
emphasized many times that people must change. The situation may not change, but require you to
change. The fight may not change, but you are required to change. Are you willing to change? There
are forced changes that will happen to you, and you must be willing to change. These include
sicknesses, retrenchments, death, etc. What are you willing to change so you change your situation?
There are so many people who have caused others so much pain and grief but they are not willing to
change. There are people who are hard-hearted that they are never happy for other people when
they progress. These people will criticise a step to get married, buying a car, securing property,
amongst many. But today, Ruth, a Moabite woman, is saying “be willing to change”. There are those
who change situations but not themselves. A thief who becomes a police officer will continue to be a
thief; he will sell dockets, help drug dealers and illegal immigrants, and participate in activities such
as car theft, and stock theft. He will remain a thief. A womaniser who gets married will continue
sleeping around and will be committing adultery. Be willing to change.
The sporting community has been blessed with so much talent but where are some of these guys?
They did not make it to the top. Most of them drank and spent time with women. Others drank the
whole night before a game! With all the money on earth, and a short sporting career, they chose to
drink alcohol? Managers, families, friends, and even the church have intervened but all in vain. This
does not happen in sports only, but in most entertainment sectors. Some musicians and other
performers go as far as missing a show. People are not willing to change. Ruth, today, is saying “be
willing to change”. We can do everything for a person but if there is no willingness to change, there
is nothing we can do. You can lead a horse to the river but you can’t make it drink.
There are small changes that can help you in your life. Be able to apologize. Be able to say thank you.
Be able to meet new people. Ruth had a husband, when she lost him, she had to be used to her
mother-in-law, and all the Bethlehem people including Boaz. You must be uncomfortable with being
comfortable. And all it takes are the small changes that will lead to that one great change.
You cannot stay in Moab. Give up on lies, fornication, sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension,
division, envy, drunkenness, and wild parties. Go to Bethlehem. You will be able to have love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. With your willingness
to change, you trade hostility with peace. Peace is very important for prosperity. Everywhere in
Scriptures where prosperity is mentioned, peace is also there. God told the Israelites that He will
bring prosperity and peace in Canaan. He further told them to pray for the peace of Babylon where
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they were captives. This would allow them to be also at peace and He will prosper them. You cannot
progress from poverty to prosperity if you are not at peace.
Ruth experienced so much change. She progressed from a gleaner to field owner, from a Moabite to
great grandmother of Jesus, and from a widow to a married woman. But it was small calculated
steps. Be willing to change. Small steps: leave Moab, go to Bethlehem, glean, introduce yourself to
the harvest foreman, harvest, listen to Naomi, visit Boaz in the threshing floor, wait for the decision
to be taken as a wife at the gate, get married, be a field owner and have a child. That is the story of
Ruth. Yours may not follow this order, but start somewhere. It is these small calculated steps and
decisions that have made most people successful motivational speakers, investors, entrepreneurs,
and managers. These steps will make you to be successful in whatever path you take. People are
successful in ministry, as parents, and at work because they are willing to change.
Do you have a list of aspects you want to change? Do you have a list of aspects that you have
procrastinated to change? Are the friends you are keeping worth your friendship or you will claim
you come from far? Some habits that have continued even after marriage or securing a job, like
drinking out until late, means you are not willing to change. You cannot fit everything into your life.
If you get married there are habits and friends that you let go. It is energy consuming to try to be
everything to everyone and every situation. Ruth fitted only Naomi in her life from Moab.
Ruth was not going back to Moab; she preferred the Bethlehem she probably had never seen. She
was willing to be different to Orpah. She wanted a personal relationship with God. The very same
God that has treated Naomi with bitterness, she wanted Him. She was a Moabite, but willing to
change. She was a widow, but willing to change. She was poor, but willing to change. Are you willing
to change?
Ruth, by her willingness to change, is no longer in poverty. Moab would have been a comfort zone,
where there are people of her language, culture, religion, amongst many. But she stepped out of her
comfort zone. She stepped into unknown waters. Willingness to change means leaving familiar
territories to unknown lands. People like familiar territories. They will tell you no-one has
matriculated in their family. They will tell you that no-one has gotten married without a child out of
the wedlock in this family. No willingness to change. We are a generation of alcoholics, womanizers,
school drop-outs, and we have managed to survived! There is a big difference between surviving and
living.
People are comfortable in familiar territories. People are comfortable in Moab. Even if the move to
Bethlehem seems glamorous; they will be comfortable as gleaners, widows, and sonless. People are
comfortable with unemployment. People are comfortable with low paying and low-level jobs. Are
you willing to change? If no-one has attended tertiary institutions at home, there will be negativity.
Your reaction should be “I am pursuing a career, I will go ask about funds, I will find out more about
accommodation and other alternative courses. And I will be asking for your support in this journey.”
There is fear in changing, it is not easy. Stepping out of your comfort zone will always bring anxiety;
anxiety for acceptance and anxiety for tomorrow. What is that couldn’t work? Why was she willing
to change?
The only reason one may change is the acknowledgement that you have a desire to grow, and you
have to accept new opportunities and challenges in your life. Change means that there is something
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you let go and there is something new you hold onto. Ruth let go of Moab to hold onto Bethlehem.
Ruth let go of being a gleaner to be a field owner. Ruth let go of being a widow to be a wife. Ruth let
go of being sonless to be a mother to Obed. There is power in that Elisha killed the oxen and burnt
the equipment that he was working with when he left to be a prophet. This left him with no option
to return to his former life. There is power in that Elisha tore his clothes to be able to cloth in the
garment of Elijah. Let go of the former to hold to the new. Ruth had chosen the God of Israel and she
was not returning to her former life. Peter and Andrew let go of being fishermen to become fishers
of men. These are completely opposite jobs with different job descriptions. A fisherman takes a fish
from where it was living to where it will die (outside of water). The fisher of man takes a man from
where he was dead to where he will live (inside water- the Word). Be willing to change. Ruth was
willing to change.
She saw a Naomi that was faithful to God and her marriage even when her husband was deceased.
She saw a Naomi who heard that God had restored Bethlehem with food. Ruth was willing to
change. Are you willing to let go of old knowledge for the new? Peter struggled the whole night and
he didn’t catch any fish. He told Jesus in the morning that he didn’t catch any. Jesus said cast the
nets deeper. Peter was willing to change. He was willing to try something new. You would remember
that pagans from distant land would hear what the Lord has done. Rahab told the spies that the
people of Jericho heard what God had done for the Israelites in the Red Sea. Maybe Ruth heard
about God who was faithful to Samson in Gaza. We are told that Samson had no hair, he was blind,
he was chained, and he was taken to Gaza, and was asked to dance as the Palestine celebrated their
god for arresting him. God was faithful to Samson. It is said that as he was arrested, his hair grew
back. We know that the growth of hair meant the return of powers for Samson. Ruth knew that God
was able to grow someone’s hair back for him to get his powers back. Ruth knew that God was able
to allow someone to have a victorious comeback. Ruth knew that even if you have lost everything,
God would bring everything back. God brought everything that Job had lost.
Ruth saw a future of being a responsible daughter to Naomi, a caring mother to Obed, a loving wife
to Boaz, and a successful field owner. Ruth wanted to build everything with God. It is like she had
read the psalm of her grandson Solomon, where he told his children that unless the Lord builds the
house, the work of the builders is wasted. It was like she had read the psalm of the sons of Korah,
which spoke about going to the altar of God, God the source of joy. The sons of Korah attached joy
with a certain place. The fields of Boaz in Bethlehem were the source of joy for Ruth. They activated
her joy. The fields of Boaz allowed Ruth to dream again. She was joyous as she presented to Naomi
that she has been to the fields of Boaz. She reached a place whereby her separation with Orpah
would bear fruits. Think of this, Ruth separated with Orpah, who was about her age, and went to
Bethlehem with Naomi. People prefer to stay with their peers and hope to grow with them. Absalom
was helped by people of his age to rebel against his father King David, since David has served his
generation. Be willing to understand that progress is not about age groups.
It is possible, change it. Allow new ideas about marriage, about work, about finances, about
parenting; and be willing to change. Change your work environment. Change your old habits. Change
friends. Other things were important to you long ago and have no meaning now. Be willing to
change. Change your mindset and attitude towards certain people and situations. If you cannot
change your mind, you cannot change anything. Be willing to change your mind set. The mindset of
poverty cannot take you to prosperity. The mindset of sympathy cannot offer you property. “I don’t
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know Bethlehem, however...” That is a statement of a person who has changed his mindset!
Renewed mind allows progress and transformation.
Be willing to change. One aspect that you must be willing to change is how you view prosperity. God
wanted Ruth to progress from gleaning to field owner. God wanted Ruth to progress from poverty to
prosperity. Prosperity is not evil. Prosperity is encouraged by God. You shouldn’t be intimidated by
believers and non-believers and you end up not chasing it. Deuteronomy 30:8 says obey the Lord
and observe His commandments, He will prosper you abundantly in all work of your hand.
Prosperity is a response by God to a person who knows who God is. What we must understand
there is a direct relationship between the commandments of God and prosperity. God gives
abundance to obedient people. We need to understand that God encourages people to work. I am
not saying be employed. I am saying, work. God says if a man will not work, he shall not eat. God
gives wisdom, He gives a skill and He gives eagerness to work. There is no job better than the other.
A petrol attendant is needed to fill petrol and even the richest of people need him. He can prosper in
that. God prospered Abraham, He prospered Jacob, He prospered Isaac and He prospered Joseph.
God told Joshua that the book of law must not depart from his hands, and He will prosper him. God
prospered King Jehoshaphat. King Hezekiah was prospered because he was good and right and
faithful.
Prosperity is not evil. Paul wrote to Timothy that the love of money is the root of all evil. Prosperity
is not evil. But love for money is evil. There are people who kill for power and prosperity. Paul said to
Timothy that people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and
harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. He further warned Timothy that some
people who eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief.
Beloved, I write to warn you, the love of money is a root of all evil. There are people who love
prosperity than God; that is evil. Remember the rich man who couldn’t give Lazarus food. Remember
the wealthy man who asked Jesus what could he do to enter the kingdom, and when Jesus
mentioned that he needed to take all his wealth and give it to the poor, the man refused.
There is a difference between being wealthy and being prosperous. Being wealthy means a good
financial standing but being prosperous means a successful life in all aspects. Your children have a
shelter, decent clothes and food, and they are taken care of with education. The wealth of a man is
not wrong, but misplaced priorities. It is good for a man to believe so that he will be saved. Amos
prophesied God will destroy mansions on judgement day; no amount of prosperity will be able to
save the wicked. Other people rely on money for protection, they have built high walls with money
but there is no protection from God.
The problem is that many people, including believers, have prospered like Egyptians. They piled the
curse on God’s people. How do you make money? Paul told Timothy that Alexander the coppersmith
did much harm, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done. Alexander the coppersmith is the
same guy who was known as Demetrius. He had a large business manufacturing shrines and hired
many craftsmen. He created job opportunities, then what would he be judged for? These shrines
were used for idols in temples of other gods. He actually had a problem with Paul’s ministry because
his business was on a decline. Prosperity is not evil, but other people use evil methods to prosper.
Avoid bribes and other fraudulent ways of making money.
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Some rich people have people working more hours, they use dishonest ways to make money, they
never allow the poor and foreign to glean, and they do not take the tithe to the storehouse. If they
give to the poor, cameras must be present. If you happen to enslave people and you don’t give to
the poor, you are not prosperous. Maybe you are wealthy. But the true measure of prosperity is that
you receive and you also give. You cannot say you are prosperous yet you do not pay people on time
or you owe people.
God wants us to be free from debt and any bondage that comes with debt. God wants us to enjoy
financial freedom. Many people end up servicing debt using more than half of their income. It is
unhealthy and risky. When budgeting, it is wise to have 70% on living expenses, 20% short term
savings and 10% on long term savings. You will adjust this as you acquire more assets and becoming
debt free from short term loans. Living expenses include housing (rent or bond), insurance, house
maintenance, water and electricity bills, car maintenance, food and clothing, healthcare and
education. Long term involves investments and retirement funds. And we are encouraged to work
tirelessly so we increase this to at least 30% of our income.
You must ensure that you pay all your borrowed money on time and the required amount. Give
everyone what you owe them and learn to owe nothing to anyone. If you have agreed to pay on a
certain date a certain amount, you must pay. If you have any challenges, discuss it with the lender.
Do not alternate payments, leaving other loans unpaid. A financial commitment requires you to be
accountable and follow through the obligations of your debt. No partial repayment, no late
repayment, and no missed payment. You will accumulate more debt and a bad financial record.
Financial institutions use what we call a credit score to grade your ability to borrow money. Your
credit report will be based on paying on time, the number of accounts you have and the length of
time you have been building this profile. Other people have many loans and credit cards. They live
on borrowed money. And they choose to pay credit with another credit. Your credit report will have
a direct impact on future borrowing of money, seeking occupation, receiving promotion, and other
business dealings. Work out something with your lenders. They may lower the interest rates or allow
you to consolidate debt. You may also look into selling your unused items.
It is part of blessings from God that you do not borrow but you lend to all nations. Strive to get
better with dealing with your finances. Learn to never borrow but you lend and enjoy the benefits of
the interest they pay. When Elisha was helping the poor widow with oil so to pay her debt, he
mentioned two important things. He said so you pay your debt and be able to live on the rest. Pay
and live well. Learn to pay. It is righteous and gracious to give back what you borrowed. If you
cannot pay, you will lose assets, and the Bible even mentions your bed snatched under you.
Once you are in control of things, you should be able to follow order in using money. Firstly, you pay
bills, including debts. Secondly, you save and invest. Then thirdly, you spend. We are advised to learn
from an ant. We are told it stores for the future conditions whereby it will not be able to gather. You
must store for your retirement. You must not live for today. Look into the future. Joseph in Egypt
was appointed to oversee that grain is stored for the future. It ensured that there was no poverty
and there was also prosperity as many nations came to buy grain from them. A wise man thinks
ahead, and a fool does not. It will help you to invest because we are living in an unpredictable world.
We are encouraged to divide our proportion to seven, or even up to eight, for we do not know what
misfortune may occur on earth. Today you are working and earning millions and tomorrow the
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whole world is on lockdown, your company is retrenching, and they are sorry to let you go. You must
be able to deal with uncertainties such as job loss, medical expenses, and even death.
Change prepares you. When Jacob ran to Laban, it prepared him. When Joseph was taken to Egypt, it
prepared him. When Moses was taken to Midian, it prepared him. When Elijah was taken to Cherith,
he was being prepared. Change prepared Ruth for prosperity. Ruth took the risk. She was excited by
the fact that she knew she was being prepared. Preparation is for a purpose according to the plan of
God. It is part of one plan. If you are not willing to change, you will not get preparation. If you are
not prepared, you will not be able to handle some of the things that you will be given. Gleaning
prepared Ruth. Carpentry prepared Jesus. Being a shepherd prepared Moses. Jacob left his brother
Esau under very tense conditions. Jacob had taken the two most important aspects a man could
dream of; that is a birthright and your father’s blessings. Jacob ran away from his brother. He was a
taker when he left. But we learnt that when Jacob was returning from Laban, he sent gifts to his
brother Esau. Jacob was now a giver. Jacob left with pride but came back with humbleness. Jacob
left with fear but came back with faith.
Be willing to trade fear with faith. In the middle of nowhere, have faith. Hagar and her son, Ishmael,
were in the middle of nowhere when they had no water. She traded her fear of failure with desire
for success. Faith assures you success. Faith gives you hope. You don’t see an unpleasant Naomi but
a better Naomi. You don’t see a poor Ruth but a prosperous Ruth. Faith has its own way of changing
how one looks at things. Fear gives birth to poverty and faith gives birth to prosperity.
Think of Ruth entering Bethlehem and hearing Naomi expressing unpleasant words about God to the
people of Bethlehem. Ruth had just chosen this God. Ruth had just chosen these people. She would
have said “I am in for a disaster” but she woke up early in the morning and said “let me go to the
fields”. I know people who were going to quit but Ruth knew that progress takes time. You are also
in the learning process. Ruth learnt about cultures of the Israelites. Ruth learnt about habits of the
Israelites.
Why are you afraid to change? Why you still attached to habits that keep you in poverty? Why you
are resisting change? Why are you failing to congratulate people when they progress? People do not
want to change because they are safe. A ship is safe in the harbour. Habits are good but other habits
are dangerous. People become comfortable and safe with doing one and the same thing. Other
habits are hard to let go. But you must be willing to do repetitions until they are new habits. Other
people are supposed to be agents of change and they are delaying progress. Ruth was an agent of
change. She changed everything for herself and Naomi. Ruth changed the status quo as an agent of
change. Some of us are comfortable with just survival. Some of us are comfortable with just
existence. We are fine with monthly salaries. We are not willing to look at any side hustle. It is time
you turn around your life. Initially, it will be difficult and may seem hopeless.
Initially, change may hurt you but it will help you, change may break you but it will build you, and
change may pain you but you will gain. Progress is impossible without change. Not all movement is
progress. There are people who have decided to move yet they went backwards. Progress is
movement towards your destination. Progress is movement from poverty to prosperity. You must
know that any resistance to change that you have, will result in resistance to growth. The Israelites
didn’t want change. They insulted Moses for freeing them in Egypt. On their way to Canaan they
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reminded him that even though they were slaves, they were never in poverty. People like familiar
territories and methods. The man in the pool of Bethesda wanted to get healed using the familiar
method of being healed in the pool. Help didn’t come for 38 years! Even when Jesus spoke to him,
he was still looking for help in the same pool that has rejected him for 38 years! What if help doesn’t
come from familiar territories? Are you ready to change familiarity?
Ruth changed. Ruth changed her thinking abilities. Ruth changed her actions. Ruth changed her
words. She found her voice and her words were kind, loving, and respectful. She opened her mouth
with wisdom and on her tongue there was a law of kindness. The Ruth that was following and
receiving instructions from Naomi has found her voice. The Peter that was following Jesus and
learning has found his voice. The Elisha that has followed and submitted to Elijah has found his voice.
Change discourages your silence. You will learn to speak your mind, to advice, to teach and to train.
You learnt so that you can teach. You filled yourself with knowledge so that you pour yourself. You
studied so that you can train. Let your voice to be heard. Call people to reason with you. You have
increased your value because you can speak words of faith, love, hope, peace, joy, strength and
encouragement. Ruth reasoned with Boaz.
I have come to a conclusion that every government building is built to change a person admitted into
the building. A hospital is built to change a health condition. A prison is built to change a criminal
condition. A school is built to change an educational condition. Rehabilitation is built to change an
addiction condition. So you cannot enter a place and come out the same. You cannot meet someone
and continue to be the same. Ruth was willing to change. She changed from Moab to Bethlehem.
Ruth changed in Bethlehem. Ruth entered Bethlehem poor. Ruth was prosperous in Bethlehem.
Be willing to change. Here are a few things you can look into changing:
1. Screen time. Social media and television takes a lot of time and they are too interesting. The
sad part is that you usually don’t gain any money for being in social media or watching
television. You are actually spending money. If something is not giving you money, it is taking
money. You need to work hard to make money. Once it becomes too easy, it won’t bring you
money. Reduce screen time. If you are using screen, use it to gain knowledge how to progress
from poverty to prosperity. There are many videos on the internet on how to start many
businesses. There are books you can read or listen to.
2. Friendship with poor people. This does not speak to money but people with no dreams and
visions. These are people who are always complaining and blaming someone for their lack of
success. They don’t take the responsibility and always expect to be helped out. You are
responsibility. You must change this mentality of thinking people owe you. These people are
quick to use statements like “blood is not thicker than water” when a relative fails to help
them and “when days are dark, friends are few” when friends fail to show up. You need to
surround yourself with positive people. I was once told that your network determines your net
worth. People have knowledge and experience that will help you progress. Stop being an
island. Have relationships with people with shared values, dreams and goals. Have
relationships with people who have excellent communication skills.
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3. Shining objects. Financially poor people like to appear in events and carry the latest of phones
and wear the latest of fashion. They afford all the expensive food and drinks and do not forget
to post on social media. It is better to look broke with progress, than to look nice with no
progress. You must learn not to spend money on trivial things. Build a solid financial
foundation. Build wealth. Consider retirement funds. If you invest, do your research. There are
many fraudulent people and collapsing get-rich-quick financial schemes. Shining objects can be
bought once you are in prosperity. Time is the same in a cheap watch as it is in an expensive
watch.
4. Love books. People don’t like to read. Invest in good books. There is no school that will teach
you enough to get wealthy. There is a real world outside of classroom. If you doing Science
subjects, you have no basic knowledge in business. If you are doing business courses, you
don’t have a business idea that will put more money like a Science product. You must change
your attitude towards reading. You must read books from successful people like biographies.
You must read books on communication, psychology, and entrepreneurship. Read to act. Read
to change your mindset and actions. Don’t read to win arguments and show insights in
townships informal debates. You don’t need to be certificated, but educated.
5. Have patience. Warren Buffet said “You can’t impregnate nine women and hope for a child in
one month, but you can impregnate one woman and hope for a child in nine months.” Most
people are not [patient. In business, they are greedy so to be rich quicker. You must change
the mentality of getting-rich-quick methods. Shortcuts lead to disaster. Do not give up easily.
Hang in there. Wake up and glean with hope that Boaz will notice you. Push through difficult
conditions. We go through so that we grow through. Don’t try something else. Go to the same
fields. Get used to failing and trying again. Be patient.
6. Find your purpose. Mark Twain said “The two most important days in your life are the day you
are born and the day you find out why.” Do you know why you were born? Do not die in the
comfort zone. Listen, whether you step out of the comfort zone or you don’t, you will fail.
Have trust in yourself. You are capable. No-one is capable of stopping you, but you. If people
see you taking a certain direction with clear purpose, they work with you towards achieving
your goal. Everyone worked with Ruth. Find out why you were born. And you must be willing
to die for what you were born for. Don’t ask for the conditions to be favourable. You were
born for this! Ruth was willing to change for her purpose. The conditions were not favourable.
Admit that you are struggling. Admit you have sent CVs and no response, that you have gone to
interviews and no response. Peter admitted that they worked the whole night and they didn’t catch
any. Don’t write social networks job titles like you are a CEO of a company that doesn’t exist. Admit
that you need help. Don’t fake until you make it. Be willing to change. It may take time. Change
shouldn’t scare you. The only thing that must scare you is not changing; standing still in beliefs,
concepts, ideas and practices. There was a time when Naomi was very clear that Ruth should remain
in Moab but Ruth said no because she wanted changing. Ruth didn’t stand still. Why are you still
standing in that mountain? This was asked by God to the Israelites. You must move. You must
change. You must progress. Why are you still standing? A ship in the harbour is safe, but that is not
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what ships are built for. You are not born for being stagnant. You must progress and this lies in your
willingness to change.
BE NOTICED
Ruth 2:5a then Boaz asked his foreman “Who is that young woman over there?”
“Work hard. It gets you noticed” Rachel Ray
Ruth woke up and told Naomi that she was going to the fields to glean wherever she would be kindly
allowed to glean. Gleaning is gathering of harvested crops left being by reapers. When Ruth arrived
in the fields, she worked hard and was noticed. Boaz asked the foreman who was that woman over
there? Ruth was noticed. Not because of her wrongdoing. She had done well; working tirelessly. Her
promotion was dependent on being noticed first. And so is your promotion. For promotions and
advancements at work, be noticed. Early coming, meeting due dates, brilliant ideas, wearing
respectable clothes, amongst many, can get you noticed.
I would have taken Ruth as a reserved person; because of being a widow, poor and foreign, but she
was noticed. She was able to draw attention to herself. She stood out above the rest. She remained
herself and was able to be noticed. She may have worn long unrevealing dress but her inner
willingness was noticed. One lesson learnt is that you don’t need to show your body to be noticed or
to sleep with bosses to be noticed. Appearance gets you noticed.
You must be noticed for who you are. Ruth didn’t hide behind anyone or anything. She had come to
glean and worked tirelessly. Her attitude towards work, towards colleagues and the foreman was
spot on. She connected with people; with Naomi while in Moab, the foreman and Boaz in the fields
in Bethlehem. In a foreign land, she won their hearts. Jesus spoke to His disciples in Emmaus. They
were crying that they had lost a prophet and a teacher. But they also heard that he had risen from
the dead. Jesus explained that it was possible since these were all written in Scriptures. He stayed
with them during late hours as they had begged him. They still didn’t notice him. What made them
notice him? When they were about to eat, he took the bread and blessed it and he broke it and gave
it to them to it. They noticed his habits. What habits get you noticed?
Ruth came prepared to work and feed Naomi. As a speaker to get noticed I had to come with
brilliant ice-breakers. As an author I have to try and come up with something that has never hit the
shelves, to be noticed! What makes you to be noticed? Ruth introduced herself as a woman who
was prepared, had a plan, and had a purpose. She was noticed. Be noticed. Work hard. Focus. Help
yourself. Be willing to change. Have restrictions. Be thankful. Be humble. Be noticed. Your
recruitment and promotion depends on being noticed. Be kind. Have a teachable spirit. Be better.
Ruth served herself as a gleaner but she was noticed by Boaz who was not even benefitting from her
gleaning. Ruth was not a harvester, therefore not working for Boaz. But she was noticed. As a person
doing your own business; like raising your children, looking after your parents, taking care of your
house, etc. be noticed. You cannot be noticed if you are not interacting with people. Ruth had
interacted with the foreman and told him she was going to rest less hours. When Boaz asked about
Ruth, he got a response from the foreman because she had interacted with the foreman. Who do
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you interact with? You want your business to be known but your pride doesn’t allow you to interact
and socialize!
Joseph was a slave and later a prisoner. Joseph interacted with other prisoners. He was able to
interpret two dreams inside the prison cells. Though he was initially forgotten by the released
prisoners, he was remembered when the king wanted someone to interpret his dreams. He was
noticed by God in Egypt and served in higher levels. He progressed from prisoner to prime minister.
Caleb was a spy and was noticed by God and got his promotion. He progressed from spy to
landowner. Gideon was working in a wine-press and was noticed by God. He progressed from
working to be a judge of the Israelites. God notices. People notices.
Recruitment comes from being noticed. Development comes from being noticed. Deployment
comes from being noticed. Promotion comes from being noticed. Read about the men of valour of
David in the Bible, their curriculum vitae spoke volume. There is a Benaiah who killed a lion on a
snowy day while they were in a pit. They all got promotion when David was in kingship office. Ruth
was noticed. She progressed from gleaner to field owner. Be noticed.
There were many people in the field of Boaz. There are many people working with you. There are
many people where you stay. But there are people who stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Ruth stood out. You must stand out. She was being herself; authentic, but stood out. Throw yourself
out there, but not in an inappropriate way. Be responsible.
One Pastor who is my friend once told me that he started preaching in trains and buses. Today he
leads a big congregation and has ministered in more than twenty five countries and in more than
one thousand events. Someone noticed him. It may be good words out of your mouth, leadership
skills in a project, or your willingness to try new things. Ruth had never gleaned in Bethlehem. She
had never harvested in Bethlehem. She had never been a wife to a wealthy man. She had never
been a mother. But it all changed. She was noticed. Remember, Ruth was not noticed when they
entered Bethlehem; people were excited to see Naomi. Ruth had to work her way up. She was
noticed. One step at a time, waking up and vowing to bring food to the table, tomorrow you bring a
harvest, the following day you bring the whole field.
How can you improve yourself? How can you improve your brand? Are you offering something
different from what the world has been offering? If you are selling a Kota, how is your Kota different
from others? Is it the sauce, is it the bread, or is it your staff friendliness? How do you get noticed?
Do you put a big sign and hope people will notice? What makes you to be noticed?
Ruth was a gleaner, she was noticed. She was a harvester, she was noticed. Even after recognition,
she worked tirelessly. Even after awards, you must work tirelessly. Even after promotions, you must
work tirelessly. Even after transfers to better positions and places, work tirelessly.
Ruth added value to the fields of Boaz. She was noticed. Naomi added value to the life of Ruth.
Joshua added value to the Israelites crossing the river Jordan, the walls of Jericho falling and the
distribution of land to different tribes. David added value to the fight against Goliath. Nehemiah
added value to Jerusalem when he built the city walls. Elijah added value to the elimination of the
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prophets of Baal. You will be noticed if you add value to the fields where you are gleaning or
harvesting. You will add value to your music choir. You must add value to your family. You must add
value at your workplace. You must add value to the area where you operate your business. You must
add value to your relationship. Your absence will be noticed if your presence added value.
Be noticed.
I had a privilege of chatting to successful marketing officers and all told me one thing about selling.
Marketing is about working hard such that a brand gets noticed. Once it is noticed it will be able to
sustain itself. We are told Coca-Cola only sold less than a thousand cans in its first year, but today it
is number one brand in the world. It was noticed. We are told that Denzel Washington was rejected
in many plays and films, but today he is one of the most decorated actors, and certainly my best. He
was noticed. The IPhone did not start with huge sales. There were known brands before the IPhone
but it was noticed. It is not about being first, but being noticed. There were gleaners and harvesters
in the field but Ruth was noticed, from the lowest level to the highest. Be noticed. Peninnah had
children first, but the child of Hannah got noticed. We know him as Samuel, the last judge and the
man responsible for ordaining the first two kings of Israel. Samuel was noticed because he came
from a prayer that was noticed. When everyone was merry with food and wine at Shiloh, Ruth
prayed. While everyone had an intake of food, Hannah had an outtake in prayer. She was noticed by
the priest that she must be someone different. She was in pain but was able to explain to God. Her
prayer was noticed. Your request will be noticed.
Marketing in business gets you noticed. You must invest in marketing your business. Marketing
makes you visible. Marketing gets you noticed. The objectives of marketing are creating a unique
selling proposition, gaining and maintaining a market share, customer satisfaction, and profitability. I
was once told that if you take 30% of your profits and invest in marketing, your hustle with grow
very fast and effectively. The idea is to grow your business. The idea is to be noticed. This means you
need to attract interested prospects to convert them to customers. This successful conversion will
lead to increase in sales. This will ultimately lead to profit and growth of your business. Even if you
convert 4 out of 10 interested prospects; 40% is not a bad conversion rate.
Marketing involves promotion, place, product, and price. Your business should be in billboards,
newspapers, buses and taxis, websites and social networks, amongst many. Maximize your use of
social media for business promotion. You must have a business profile to grow your community of
customers. You may open a Facebook page where you show your service or product and also prices
and contact details. Post images and videos of what you are selling. Actively engage with your
followers and customers. You cannot post something and people engage alone without you.
Business people are not celebs; they engage with their prospects. Sponsor events. Appear in public
events and gatherings. Be noticed.
A place that you choose for your hustle should have access to foot traffic. People must be able to
walk to you. People must be able to get public transport to you. People must be able to drive to you.
Imagine selling meat in the mountains 15km from tarred road! No matter how cheap you are, the
place will always be a deciding factor. If you happen to be placed in such a place, you should be able
to offer free or low cost delivery services. You may also consider finding a way to come to the
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people. There is a truck that is selling meat in Newcastle on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They have
stops in shops along the tarred roads. They are doing so well. People must notice your business even
if they are just passing by.
Then, your product, what are you selling? Invest in quality of what you are selling. People are not
buying because you are black. They are buying because you are selling what they want, and in good
quality. Jack Ma of Alibaba.com have emphasized that quality is better than size. It is better to buy
10 pairs of quality shoes and sell them at high price, than to buy 50 shoes of low quality and sell
them at whatever price. It is better to have one big shop where you can also monitor the quality,
than to have many branches where some are offering very low quality service.
How much does it cost? You know, if you have served people well, they won’t mind even if you
increase the prices. You must be considerate though; meaning you only increase by 5-10% of the
original price. There won’t be much of market resistance. Remember marketing is only fruitful if you
are noticed and there are sales. You need to analyse if there is an improvement in sales after
investing in marketing. You may do this quarterly or any period convenient for you. This will help you
create context for what you need to do in the future. Yes, it’s 4IR era, but don’t underestimate the
power of the streets. There are people who are not on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, etc.
You must have flyers and posters in restaurants, schools, churches, sidewalks, etc.
For you to be noticed you need to think big. Ruth thought like a field owner while she was a gleaner.
You need to think big. Thinking big means you dream or see yourself achieving things on a much
bigger scale. You need to think growth. You need to think success. Think of branches while you are
selling from the back of your car. Set standards high. Give your best. Ask your partner(s), employees
or family to give your best. Your hustle may be home-based and sometimes you are not around and
your family members must sell on your behalf. Tell them that you want to grow. Ruth and Naomi
thought big for Ruth. Let them not be the ones sinking your hustle with bad customer treatment or
other poor service.
Think big. People notice big thinkers. Ruth thought bigger than being a gleaner and stretched her
mind to the highest position in the field. While in poverty, Ruth thought bigger than the poverty she
was in and thought of prosperity. As a caterer, I am sure you don’t see yourself only cooking in local
weddings but will be invited by the cabinet ministers one day. People notice. They notice your
service. They notice your treatment. Think big! You have a capacity to grow your hustle to a
multimillion company. If you think big, it means you have a long-term mindset that says “I want to
be there.” What is the vision of your business? Write it down.
You will be noticed based on your thinking capacity. You have a creative mind beyond selling already
manufactured shoes and beyond buying already hatched eggs. Think of owning that building you are
renting. Ruth owned the field she gleaned. Think of no longer buying any material that you are using
for your service or product. Think of a plumber who produces his own pipes and other materials.
Thinking big is not about doing big. Thinking big is about doing small and sitting down with yourself
and then identifying elements that you can improve to be noticed. Wake up today to glean.
Tomorrow you will wake up to harvest. The other day you will wake up to own the field. For you to
progress from poverty to prosperity, you need to understand that it may take time. Business people
need think big in matters that will get their businesses noticed. These include, but not limited to,
capital, staff, what product or service to sell, marketing and sales, and profit-making. Be noticed.
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For you to be big, you will need to make sacrifices. This means you may sacrifice time. This may also
mean sacrificing some relationships. If you are going up, you need to lessen the luggage you carry.
You will need to sacrifice and lose all the heavy burdens you carry into your work. Ruth came to the
fields without any burdens and worked tirelessly. Think big, focus on that big goal, complete it, then
set your sight on another bigger goal and also execute it. A person who thinks big sets big goals and
understands that it’s always about the bigger picture. The bigger picture means no matter how other
things become obstacles; you know you will make it. There may be delays, but the bigger picture
says you will progress. There was a delay for Ruth as Boaz was still having meetings with men in the
gates. Ruth remained open-minded. Let your mind have no boundaries. Think of progress and
success.
What characteristics do you have that makes people notice you? The Queen of Sheba noticed two
things when she visited King Solomon. She was overwhelmed by the wisdom and prosperity of
Solomon:
1. Wisdom of Solomon: When he was in Gibeon, he asked for wisdom. He asked God to give him
a heart of understanding. God gave him great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of
understanding as vast as the sands on the seashore. Solomon is known for this personal trait
of being wiser than anyone else. He wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs. He advised people
about everything including, finances, health, nature, and relationships. The Queen of Sheba
was happy to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. People came from all nations to hear the
wisdom of King Solomon. Note that his wisdom was not only heard but it was also observed.
How he arranged his house and staff showed wisdom. He had wise dealings. What
characteristic do you have that makes people notice you? Ruth was noticed because she
focussed on working hard.
2. Prosperity of Solomon: This included how he built his palace, the food on his tables, the
organization of his officials, the clothing of his officials, his cupbearers, and burnt offerings
made by him. Even though Solomon had a lot of gold imported for him from Ophir, he
understood the words of Job (28:16) that wisdom and understanding is worth more than the
gold of Ophir. Ophir had the finest gold. He was also receiving gold from Hiram. Solomon
would burn the offering of twenty-two thousand oxen in the altar as he was sometimes
allowed to carry priestly duties. The prosperity of Solomon was displayed in his organisational
skills in his palace, including his table and servants. Solomon had order. Solomon was wealthy.
Solomon is recorded amongst the richest people to ever live.
The wise men from the east noticed the star of Jesus. They followed what they noticed. They
understood the value of what they were following. The wise men were carrying gifts and they
couldn’t just give anyone unless they arrive at their destination. The gifts are for the destination.
Take the people to their destination. Do not open the gifts along the way. Ruth didn’t open the gift
along the way. Even after asking Boaz to spread the corner of his garment of her, she didn’t sleep
with Boaz. She waited until marriage. The gifts are for the destination. Leah and Rachel didn’t have
any physical relations with Jacob; that is why he couldn’t recognise he was sleeping with Leah
instead of Rachel that he had worked for seven years. They didn’t open the gifts before the
destination. Andrew noticed something about Jesus and was the first person to bring someone to
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Jesus. He noticed Jesus and followed him. Boaz noticed Ruth and wanted to know more about her.
Be noticed. People will notice your speech and will follow you. People will notice your actions and
follow you. People want to reach their destination. They follow what is worth following to reach
their destination.
What value does a person have even though that person is poor? We value a person by characters
than by possessions. People can lose what they have (possessions) but not what they are
(characteristics). What you are will always have power over what you have. Finances may lose value
as we deal with issues such as bankruptcy, junk status, and recession. Character stands against all
conditions. If you are loving person, no matter what they throw at you, you will keep love. Note that
this does not seek to undermine what the Queen of Sheba valued when visiting Samson or the
importance of possessions for any person. Prosperity is not evil.
The following are traits that stood up for Ruth whenever she met people. These people included
Naomi, the harvest foreman, Boaz and the women of the town. The following traits are not
complete but have been constructed using the first 10 alphabets:
1. Accessible: Able to be reached. Any person must be open to talk to people. Naomi was able to
talk to Ruth. The harvest foreman was able to talk to Ruth. Boaz was able to talk to Ruth.
There are people who are working in the fields that require that they are accessible, such as
education and health. We are not asking for friendship. We ask for accessibility. We ask
parents to be approachable to their children. We want to raise children while we are easy to
talk to.
2. Benevolent: Kind. Kindness is immeasurable. Ruth was kind. Kindness is human. If you are
kind, it means you consider the needs of other people. Sometimes you recognise others more
than you consider yours. People are selfish. They cannot even help their siblings. They cannot
even help their dead brother’s child. Kindness is selfless. A kind person will help. A kind person
will sacrifice. A kind person would volunteer to tutor a poor child who has a potential.
3. Courageous: Bold. Ruth stepped out in boldness and was easy to be noticed. She was able to
solve problems. She went to the fields to solve the problem of food. She went to the threshing
floor to solve the problem of marriage. With her courage, she was able to move. The
conditions were not good but she was able to move. Ruth progressed. When we talk of
progress, we do not mean perfection. That small courage is all it took to end up in the feet of
Boaz. We all need that small courage. We all need that small courage to be noticed.
4. Determination: Willpower. We are told that when Ruth told Naomi that Ruth was leaving with
her to Bethlehem, she was determined. She was not taking no for an answer. She was not
going back. A determined person continues. Ruth was persistent. She woke up every day to
glean for the whole harvest season. It’s one thing to do something and it’s another thing to
continue. Ruth was resilient. Ruth was a diligent person. She worked hard and focussed on the
task at hand. Ruth was determined to learn. She listened to wise counsel.
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5. Encouraging: Giving support and hope. Ruth gave Naomi hope with every movement she
made. Naomi had hoped that one day she will hold a son in her arms. An encouraging person
will not allow you to give up. He will revive your spirit in that you will keep going. He will make
you more determined. An encouraging person will stick with you till the very end. You will walk
to the end with him holding you by hand.
6. Fairness: Treatment or behaviour without favouritism or discrimination. It is good to practice

fairness in all you do. Ruth never looked at Naomi as foreign in Moab. She never discriminated
her as old and wanting to be fed. Ruth never judged Naomi as poor. We are all equal
regardless of the race, gender, religion, financial status, etc.
7. Genuine: Original. A genuine person is true to people and situations. Ruth was genuine. She
was true to Naomi. She was free of deceit and lies. A genuine person does not accommodate
people or compromise her beliefs for people to understand her. It’s either you understand her
or you don’t. Their feelings are truthful. Their actions are straight. They have integrity.
Genuine people are honest. Genuine people are open at heart and mind. They do not pretend.
A genuine person is an asset. Naomi was blessed to have Ruth. Boaz was blessed to have Ruth.
8. Humble: Showing a low estimate of you. A humble person does not see himself better than
other people. A humble person submits. A humble person is respectful. Humble people are
grateful for what they are getting. Humble people do not feel that they deserve what they
receive. Humble people let actions speak. When we meet a business man with a lot of money,
it attracts us more to him when we learn of his humility. Like the prodigal son, wealth will
attract many temporal people but character will attract many permanent people. Most
wealthy people are arrogant and look down on poor people. They think that poor people
brought poverty to themselves and that they are not trying enough or will remain poor.
9. Initiative: The ability to start an action. Ruth was able to initiate her move to the fields of Boaz.
Ruth arrived with Naomi at the start of the harvest season. She didn’t delay. She started at
that time. Start now and you will learn on the way. She was noticed. She stood for what she
started. She worked hard in the fields where she initiated going.
10. Jubilant: Full of high-spirited delight. Ruth was happy because she was content. People ought
to be happy. Be happy that you are alive. Be happy that you have meal, shelter and clothes. Be
happy that you have employment or business or there is an interview or presentation. Be
happy that tomorrow will be better. We must feel and express great happiness; despite our
losses and rejection. We ought to be jubilant for the love we receive. We must be elated. Ruth
was content for what she had. Ruth was thankful. We should be thankful for what we have.
Ruth was full of character. She was kind, humble, thankful, teachable, and focused, amongst many.
Be a person full of characters than possessions. Possessions will not survive the heat and pressures
of life. Characters will make you walk through all obstacles at whatever temperature and pressure
conditions. Traits are inward and possessions are outward. Traits are what make you noticed.
WE BELONG
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Ruth 2:5b “Who does she belong to?”

“It’s not about belonging to someone; it’s about belonging together” Renee Ahdieh
Ruth was asked by Naomi to remain in Moab. Ruth told Naomi not to urge her to leave her or turn
back on her. She then pledged that wherever Naomi goes, she would go. Ruth refused to turn her
back on Naomi. We then learn that they both went to Bethlehem. Ruth went to the fields of Boaz to
glean. It is on these fields that Boaz is asking a harvest foreman, who Ruth belongs to.
To belong is to be part of or related to. You are supposed to be where you belong, even if the
conditions are not good at the time. Ruth was a gleaner, but she belonged. Belonging is not about
perfect conditions. When Boaz asked about Ruth she was at her lowest socially (a widow), financially
(gleaner), and spiritually (Moabite woman), and after the question, she was at the highest socially
(wife), financially (field owner) and spiritually (great grandmother to Jesus).
A newspaper wrote “a teacher from High Thinking high school was shot in a suspected drug-dealing
fight.” Okay, let us pause, the guy is suspected in drug-trafficking. Why is the name of the school
mentioned? It is because it is where he belongs. That is his identity. The name of a school will now
be linked with drugs, because of someone who belongs to it.
Who does Ruth belong to? She was a widow who belonged to a mother-in-law who was also a
widow. She was a sonless daughter with a sonless mother. She was a foreign woman who was with a
woman who has been a foreigner. She was a poor woman with a woman who has been poor (with
unredeemed land). There may have had similar characteristics but that is not the only thing that
made them belong together. Belonging is not only about similarity but connection. Who connects to
you? What connects them to you? We work together; work connects us. We belong.
Let us explore this; in a soccer team there are four positions; namely goalkeeper, defenders,
midfielders and strikers. In a soccer field, though they play different positions and require different
characteristics, they belong together. Belonging together does not mean we must be the same.
Belonging together does not mean we must have the same thoughts and actions. Vision puts us
together. At home there are different characters with different characteristics, but they belong to
one family. We belong.
We belong.
Numbers 24:17 says a star will rise from Jacob. This spoke of the star that was followed by the wise
men in Matthew 2. A son out of Judah was born, a star rose from Jacob. Work hard today, even your
grandchildren will be known by your name.
The spies that went to Canaan were called son of someone. Most of their fathers were unknown but
when given a position, they were given because they were their sons.
We belong.
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We read in Exodus that those who belonged to a house with blood in its doorpost were saved. Stay
in the house. Stay where you belong. Ruth stayed in the house of bread, which is Bethlehem. Rahab
was saved with people she belonged with because she stayed in the house. Zacchaeus was told by
Jesus that salvation has come to his home. This also happened to the prison warden who was
guarding Paul and Silas. They went with him to his house and all in his house repented and were
converted. There are many positives in having a house that you belong to. Even if you meet your
wife outside the house, you will need to go to the house where she belongs to ask for her hand in
marriage. Eleazar met Rebekah in the well but went to her house to ask for her hand in marriage
with Isaac. Moses met Ziporah in the well but went to her house to ask for her hand in marriage.
Jacob met Rachel in the well but went to her house to ask for her hand. Marriage is discussed in the
house. Marriage is discussed where you belong. Even when Rebekah felt that God had prepared her
way, she had to get the permission from the house. We belong.
The coin that was lost in the house was found. The owner switched on the light, shifted the furnisher
and swept the floor. If you are lost in the house, you will be found. Even if you do not turn out to be
what you anticipated, there is room for improvement if you stay in the house. We are told that in
the potter’s house, if the jar that was made by the potter does not turn out to be what he hoped for,
the potter starts over. This can only happen in the potter’s house. You must be in the house. Inside
the house you will be fixed. Ruth was fixed inside the house. She was instructed by Naomi inside the
house.
The Bible says that if you are sick, you must call those of the house of faith. One day when Jesus was
healing people in a certain house, some men took their friend who was very sick to this house. They
couldn’t enter because there were many people in the door. They opened the roof and allowed their
sick friend to be healed. He was healed in the house. Egypt was known as the house of slavery. But
people should know that God spoke to Abram about the Israelites that they will become slaves in a
foreign land. God was clear that they will out with great wealth. The house of slavery was also their
house of wealth. Joseph prospered in this house. One will never wonder why Elisha was appreciative
when that woman built him a house and why Jesus wanted a house to have his last supper with his
disciples.
We belong.
The things we post on social networks reflect on the people we belong with. Our behaviour in
public reflects our family. An adulterous person does not only bring shame and hurt to the partner,
but also their family and friends, because we belong. Represent your home well and your church
well. Ruth represented Naomi well. Ruth belonged to Naomi. Not as a slave, but as a submissive
person. I belong. You belong. We belong.
Love begins by taking care of the closest ones. Ruth loved Naomi. Ruth belonged with Naomi. Do you
take care of people you belong with?
When a person graduates or purchase an asset like a car or a home, we may think it belongs to him
alone because he is the only one paying for it. Not with the sense of belonging! You learn that
graduation makes family prouder, and with assets you hear people saying “this is my brother’s
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house”, “this is my sister’s car”; because we belong. Belonging is not for people with possessions
only. Immediately you say my father, you say you belong.
Jesus said people are the salt of the earth. There are many properties of salt that one can look into.
For the purpose of this book, one has to acknowledge that you cannot use one salt particle to give
food its flavour. One particle cannot function alone. One salt particle needs to work with other
particles to give food its flavour. He went further to say that if it has lost its flavour it will not be able
to be made salty again and will be thrown and trampled underfoot as worthless. Salt without flavour
is worthless! If you want to function alone, you will not have any influence and you will be rendered
useless. You will never gain value again. Ruth belonged with Naomi. She never functioned alone.
When they say Christians are a body of Christ, they mean one cannot function alone. You cannot
function alone. If one body part is amputated, it becomes difficult for the body to function
effectively. The body needs all its part to function effectively. We cannot afford to lose a member we
belong with. The stomach to be filled needs the mouth and hands to eat. The headache to be better
needs feet and hands to go fetch some pills. Belonging is important. It helps functionality. If
everyone in any structure functions properly, that structure will never collapse. You belong!
God created humans with a sense of belonging. You will find that at work there are people that you
are taking as a family. Even at church there is such. People would even go to court for custody of a
child because they think a child belongs to them.
Let me be deal with this so we are clear about belonging; we can look for belonging or maintain the
already existing belonging. Others choose to destroy the already existing belonging, like Orpah. Ruth,
like Orpah, was married to Naomi’s son. She connected to Naomi because of marriage. The son died.
But Ruth didn’t destroy the connection. Orpah had found the same connection and destroyed it.
How many times have you found a connection and destroyed it? Orpah went back to her gods and
Ruth chose the living God. Orpah felt out of place. Ruth felt into place. She belonged. So, when Boaz
asked about belonging, he wanted to know who she was connected to. And Ruth was connected to
Naomi.
Exclusion destroys human race. Sometimes isolation and separation is the works of Satan. God wants
unity; God seeks oneness, to belong. If you are retrenched and you thought you belonged to that
company, you feel demoralized. If you had a break-up and you felt you belonged together, you feel
depressed. We belong. Destruction of a belonging demoralizes your spirit.
What made the prodigal son to be in poverty? He was removed from where he belonged. When
Adam was removed from where he belonged, he had to work for his food. That is where poverty
came in. The prodigal son was in prosperity when he was staying with his father and his brother. He
asked his father for his inheritance. He relocated to a distant land. He wasted his inheritance. He was
removed from where he was taught not to waste assets. When he came back, he had a mentality of
belonging to servants. He had prepared a speech that his father took him as a hired servant. He was
still a son to his father. In ensuring the belonging, his father gave him a robe, a ring and sandals.
The robe stands for the identity. The father still identified him as a son. He belonged to him. As soon
as he remembered who he was, he went back home. He didn’t eat with pigs because he
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remembered where he belonged. If you don’t know your identity, you will behave opposite to your
identity. The ring stands for the relationship. The father ensured him that they still had a
relationship. They belonged together. The sandals mean that he was not dead to him. A dead man
doesn’t wear sandals. He maintained that their belonging would never die as long as they were alive.
They belonged. Now, one may ask, the son came back because of poverty, why did his father give
him these three things instead of food? The son was not in poverty because he lacked food. He was
in poverty because he had no relationship with his father; he had lost his identity to his father, and
considered his father dead. A father would only release inheritance in his deathbed. His poverty was
because he was detached from where he belonged. As soon as he attached himself to his belonging,
he ate the fattened calf. When he safely returned to where he belonged, people celebrated with
music and dancing. Ruth progressed because she belonged. You will progress because you belong.
Belonging means you make time for an unplanned conversation with that old man who saw you
grew up. You don’t consider it time lost to attend a funeral at household in the dusty streets of
where you were born. Make time for relationships, for putting together abandoned relationships.
Show up for a wedding at a homestead in a community where you grew. Show up in a party of an
old classmate. Show up in a funeral of your former teacher.
You belong.
Can I say something in the spirit of grasping this concept of belonging? Relocation does not change
belonging. Culture does not change belonging. Religion does not change belonging. I am an African
and a Christian. People have adopted a certain standard of living and have cut the connection and
have claimed to be saved or civilized. We belong. I can still be a son to a father who believes in
ancestors while I am born again. We belong. We are connected.
We belong.
Our parents belong with us, even at old age. Some conditions may force children to take their
parents to live in old-age homes. The Bible teaches Moses, Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac, who died at a
very old age, but in the presence of their children. Who is showing the way if we are an island
isolated from our elders? The covid-19 has taken many elders and other children are left without
direction. This pandemic taught us that we belong together. The pandemic taught us to be one.
Despite us having many solutions, there was one problem. We had one problem; corona virus. We
had one mandate; to stop it from spreading. And we had a lockdown and its rules to follow. We
learned to comply with lockdown rules because the safety of others mattered. Any violation of the
lockdown regulations undermined the effort by the government and complying citizens. It started by
people questioning the silence of churches and pastors, and others did say even the ancestors are
quiet. We learnt it was not about our beliefs, not about God vs. ancestors, but about one problem
we are facing, the pandemic. It was not about being a church member of a known church. It was not
about political affiliations. No financial, residential or cultural status excluded anyone from being
infected with the corona virus. No one was an exception to lockdown. People were in very long
queues for food and other essentials.
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It didn’t matter that you are rich, you have connection, you are in an elevated position, or that you
have a big expensive car. When we heard of someone who tested positive in a retail shop or other
places of business that were operating and the owners continued without protective clothing for the
other employees or testing them, people questioned. The people questioned about soldiers, health
workers, inmates and other essential employees, who were said to have tested positive. The safety
of someone else mattered, because we understood we belong together. We understood that an
injury to one is an injury to all. We were connected. Ruth belonged with Naomi.
People learnt the principle of giving. We understood that no-one chose poverty. There were many
social media posts of people urging people to donate food and money. People collected new born
babies’ clothes and donated them to hospitals since mothers did not have many shops to buy. Other
people asked for help and received many items in that they were also willing to share. There were
many international donors and this meant there was a strong respond to the pandemic. We were
one. We were considerate. We were kind. We were sympathetic. The spirit of oneness was revived.
The spirit of belonging was reignited.
The world was one. The continent was one. The country was one. We shared views that what has
happened in one country could happen to another country. Before the pandemic, most people were
disconnected to what was happening to other people. You would start a conversation that there is a
sickness in another country, and they would ask you where that country is and why is it their
business? With this pandemic, whatever was happening in other countries mattered. We shared
statistics and analysed statistics of other countries. The authorities were quoted saying that they
would ask for help from other countries and international bodies. The lockdown was a national
regulation, even if the province was under administration of another political party besides the
ruling party. We remained one country that worked together towards fighting the corona virus and
working towards lifting the lockdown.
People were worried about domestic violence and sexual violence cases that occur at homes. We
hoped our daughters, sisters, mothers and grannies remained safe from their rapists. The
government departments, such as social services and police, were working together to find shelter
for either the victim or the rapist, so that they are not together. Also, children staying with divorced
parents were allowed to move in between parents. Belonging with their parents is important for
their growth. People had one voice for re-opening of the schools so that the children to pursue their
dreams. Students were back home from tertiary institutions and felt like their careers were on a halt.
People remained united in refusing to accept false information and false reporting. The pandemic
and the lockdown started with people joking and spreading a lot of false information. But people
learned the seriousness of the disease. We were one. We remain one. We belong.
You belong to your community. The community in which you stay will shape you. You must bear in
mind that this includes your church, work/school, friends and everyone you are associated with.
Create a belonging that is conducive for your growth. Create a belonging that is positive for your life.
A widowed Ruth created a belonging with Naomi in foreign Moab and sustained it in Bethlehem. She
still belonged with them even though she was married, had a son and was prosperous. Ruth had a
community of gleaners and would later have a community of field owners. In a community that is
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experiencing hunger, a man can donate nutritious food, create employment, and offer other
opportunities.
A person lives and thrives better if he is where she belongs. Ruth thrived in Bethlehem, because that
was where she belonged. Think about this, a fish belongs to the water, and if you take it out of the
water it dies. A ship cannot move in the air but an airplane can, that is where an airplane belongs.
Note this, it is dangerous for an airplane to be in the air but it usually survives the storms. This is
because it belongs there. It will not survive the waves. Dangerous or not, the plane belongs in the
air.
I was born in Blaauwbosch Newcastle, known to neighbouring places as a crime-ridden place, with
less or no education, disorganised sites and buildings, and with passages that can lead to someone’s
homestead. That is where I belong. I have managed to obtain a Bachelor’s degree, coming from the
same place, and have taught Mathematics for ten years in the same Blaauwbosch. That is where I
belong. I gave hope where I belong.
A young man who would have chosen to stab someone to be a 26 gangster is now an accountant. A
young woman who would have become a prostitute is now a lawyer. An elderly person who would
have cried daily because her grandson is hospitalized or dead or arrested is now crying tears of joy as
she attends his graduation ceremony. What influence do you have where you belong? Do you create
employment opportunities? Do you give out bursaries? Do you create better opportunities for them
to escape poverty? Do not do it for politicians to name streets, airports, schools, roads, etc. after
you! Be a role model where you belong. Children want someone they can relate to. We grew up
looking up to the retired teacher Miss Gladys Nomusa Nkosi, may the only true God bless her.
If you belong to a community suffering from crime, do something. The following are the crimes that
are common in some communities: common robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances,
burglary to either residential or business premises, assault with the purpose to cause grievous bodily
harm, attempted rape, sexual harassment, rape, murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of a
firearm and ammunition, drug related crime, theft of motor vehicle and malicious damage of
property. What can you do? Create a safe environment. Make this community. Educate people on
safety and precautionary measures, and give them the help lines they can use to call in case of
emergency. Create unity in that community, whereby a mother says “if my son committed crime, I
am calling the police”. No protection of evil people! Become one, and agree with each other.
Communities must be united in mind, not only when there is a strike to complain about service
delivery. What is the cause of these crimes? Mostly unemployment and neglect by parents. Make
your children belong, so that in long term we avoid the societies we are living in.
Most communities are symbolised by single parent households. Other parents have to work from
6am to 6pm, and they come back to sleep. This creates instability and increase possibilities of drug-
dealing, heavy use of alcohol, and human trafficking. Single parenting may be the result of death of
one parent, or it may also be because of break-ups and divorce. These usually lead to poverty and
people highly dependent on government social grants as the only source of income. Then you find a
man raise by a single parent, loving to his wife and children. Most parents raise children alone
because they left abusive partners. Ruth and Naomi were kind. You don’t belong with people who
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are going to abuse you. Even if you feel lonely or they apologise, never open the door for them. You
don’t belong with abusers.
Some communities are marked by prostitution, people sick of STIs and HIV, teenage pregnancy and
crime, lack of education, unemployment, abuse and poverty. Children who make it to tertiary
institutions struggle to fit in when they come back. You find a child who did better than other
children but she doesn’t not apply to tertiary institutions and choose to be exploited with minimum
wage for maximum effort. Education in such communities is symbolised by overcrowded classrooms,
children starting school late, children walking long distances to school, and children who cannot
register properly because of identity problems. Each community has someone who was born there,
have you ever donated a classroom or desks to your former school?
Create a community of educated yet humble people; of wealthy yet giving people; and of loving yet
not exploiting people. A community that bears each other’s burdens, a community that would ask
“how can we help?” A community must build each other. Ruth and Naomi built each other. A
community must help the weak. A community must bear with each other. When someone has
served his prison sentence and he comes back to be integrated into the community, the community
forgives him. A community that organises a community prayer and people of that community are
leading the proceedings. A sober community that can organize a sporting event for the community
and they have fun.
Most communities have very low parental expectations, children are only expected to finish school,
you are only allowed to call your child your child without being accountable for caring and
supporting the child. These communities do not support careers in sports, university studies, and will
always present you with a list of people who have failed. Be a role model. Encourage young ones in
your community and be open about children out of wedlock, alcohol and drugs, theft and abuse,
amongst many. Have something to teach them. Create an environment ideal for Barnabas to be a
friend, for Paul to teach, for Timothy to be a trainee, for Moses to be meek, for Elijah to pray, and for
Jesus to teach willingness. Let them learn from you, because you belong with them. Many young
women learnt from Ruth, particularly how to be kind to a mother-in-law. I learnt how to progress
from poverty to prosperity.
The Bible discusses people who belonged to the community of Shechem. Everyone who belonged
there had no relationship with God. Shechem and his sons were willing to have a relationship with
God through circumcision. The Bible also discusses people who belonged to the community of Babel.
They agreed to build the tower of Babel. They had the same vision, same plan, same organisation,
and material, but they were a community of disaster. They built a tower that undermined God. God
confused them and they spoke different languages. Most communities have visions that are violating
God’s will. This means you can have the same vision but it leads to calamity. Ruth and Naomi
belonged together and had the same vision that led them to prosperity. Ruth and Naomi spoke the
same language. Ruth and Naomi belonged.
After God had poured His spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to the crowd. We are then
told that the believers formed a community. This community had four characteristics, namely; they
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devoted themselves to apostles’ teachings, fellowship, sharing in meals, and prayer. They had
something in common and met regularly because they belonged.
Ensure that you do not belong to communities like Corinth. The Corinthians had no identity. Corinth
was near the harbour and had no proper teachings, and could adopt any idea that seemed to work.
They have no culture, no religion, no law and no identity. All the vices were found there. Proverbs
27:17 as an iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Make a difference in where you
belong. It takes one changed person to effect change. Ruth belonged with Naomi and surely made a
change in her life. Ruth belonged with Boaz. You belong.
WORK HARD
Ruth 2:7b “She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter”
“Success comes at a cost, that cost is hard work” Lolly Dismal
We find the harvest foreman reporting to the field owner that Ruth has been hard at work ever since
and only rests for a few minutes. Ruth worked hard.
Working hard ensures that there are desired results. Talent alone cannot guarantee results. Wisdom
alone cannot guarantee results. I have met people who were gifted in their fields of work and some
very educated, but never reached the peak of their careers. This is because they never worked hard
to achieve that. A talented soccer player who only trains with the team during stipulated times will
never reach his true potential. He needs to be hard on himself. You must train for more hours. Train
intensively! A teacher highly educated in Mathematics, who does not attend workshops and doesn’t
do sums daily, will never achieve anything.
Working hard helps you in other areas of life. If you are a hard worker at work, you will work hard to
ensure other aspects of your life are also good. They will get better and ultimately reach the best.
Ruth worked hard at supporting Naomi; she worked hard at obtaining a husband and keeping him,
and giving birth. Working hard also goes as far as even putting an effort in a relationship. Messages,
dinners, and sending flowers are all part of working hard.
For a partner; find yourself a hard worker, a person who is going to stay at work for you to succeed,
and for you to achieve greater results. Ruth was promoted from gleaner to a harvester, and later to
field owner. Boaz had found himself a hard-working partner.
We have Ruth working hard in gleaning a field, and allowing little or no rest. People tend to rest on
their way to success. Other people, instead of working hard in dealing with differences, with
arguments, they ask for a break. They want to rest. Rest from what?
Ruth worked hard. They have never seen a person who worked this hard! Hard workers are
innovative! They set new standards. They set new records. They set new rules.
A hard worker is a reliable person. When dealing with farming, there are seasonal activities. There is
a season to till the soil, there is a season to plant, there is a season to water, and also a season to
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harvest. Within a given space of time, you need people that you can rely on to be hard at work in
ensuring a successful harvest. You need hard workers. You must be working with diligent people.
These are people who have appreciation for time and know that time lost cannot be redeemed.
My most watched movie is The Pursuit of Happiness, with main character the deserving award
winner Will Smith. The main character is working hard to ensure he feeds his son and at the same
time he is on time for work. He works extremely hard, in pursuit of happiness. Ruth worked hard in
pursuit of prosperity. Work hard in pursuit of that qualification. Work hard in pursuit of that job.
Work hard in pursuit of that promotion. You must be chasing something, everyone is right?
There is something I learnt in Ecclesiastes of the Bible. The write argues that we cannot know the
scope of God about our lives but we can be happy, eat and drink to enjoy fruits of our labour, and
that these are gifts from God. Hear this; we enjoy fruits of our labour. Whose labour? The hard
workers labour. This means a person who works harder enjoys more.
I studied BSc in Geography and Hydrology and a salary between R16 600 and R24 000 per month
would be appropriate. I have worked for that, therefore, I should enjoy. But a former classmate who
remained at university to study until Masters, just 3 years more than my BSc, earns between R34
000 and R47 000. That is the fruit of his labour, he must enjoy that. The truth is, he only took three
more years and he is enjoying double what I am enjoying, for the rest of his life. You don’t work hard
forever. Working hard is a foundation that will allow you to progress from poverty to prosperity.
Ruth worked hard as a gleaner and she was promoted to be a field owner. A learner, who has
obtained 7 distinctions at school and has been admitted for studies at university, is enjoying the fruit
of his labour. We only celebrate the fruit and forget it is an output. He worked hard; joining study
groups, late night studying, extra classes at school, etc. There is also a lot of money spent by parents.
The parents are also working hard. Hard work pays off.
Ruth ate the fruit of the labour of her hands. Hard working opened doors of marriage for her.
Working hard will open doors for bursaries if you are studying. Working hard will open doors more
opportunities and better employment for you. People who allow selves to sweat and toil, are living a
better life. Lazy hands never get anything done. Ruth chose God who hates laziness. God despises
laziness.
When we award people for their work, hard work is the first thing they will mention in their speech.
In September 2019, a defender (Virgil van Dijk) won a men’s best player award in European soccer.
His stats included, amongst many, intercepting a ball many times, winning all head duels, and not
allowing any player to pass through him. What a hard worker! Not allowing anyone to pass through
you! If they wanted to score they had to pass through someone else, not him!
Maya Angelou once said “we delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it
has gone through to achieve that beauty”. We delight in awards, yet there are scars. We delight in
results, yet there are insults. We delight in achievements, yet there were bereavements.
There is no formula or recipe for success, except to work hard. You can have all the visions, dreams
and ideas, but if you don’t work hard, you will always follow and never lead. I have seen people with
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beautiful business plans, but the ones who actually knock door to door asking for money to start the
business, are the ones who make it.
Planning is good, but you cannot plan forever. Allow yourself to fail and fall, and you will get up and
succeed. It’s not a miracle; Ruth was hard at work the whole harvest season. Consistently work hard.
She was hard at work. Yours moving from one level to the next, will depend on you working hard.
Ruth had asked to only rest for few minutes but mostly to work hard. God said whatever your hand
finds, do it with all your power. Ruth put all her might. She was promoted to harvester. We knock off
early, we take unnecessary leave, we have weekend offs, we miss deadlines and due dates, and we
insult superiors. Ruth taught me to work hard, within my own pace and capability. It is very
important to do your work. Ruth was committed to her work. Ruth was productive. Ruth was
industrious.
Working hard allows you to grow. People who are going to promote you will be asking referees on
how hard you can work. Ruth was promoted. Results are like planting a tree; you may plant a tree
seeking a shadow, only for your grandchildren to get the shadow. Working hard benefits your family.
Parents, siblings, leaders and community feel proud to be associated to a person who works hard.
I am privileged to have stood in front of hard-working young ladies and gentlemen teaching them
Mathematics. I have taught very wise and humble people, who worked very hard to achieve
excellent results. These people have inspired me by working hard in their fields. They have inspired
me to work hard where I am. I am a teacher, I am a speaker, I am a writer, and I am a hustler. I will
work hard at these. Work hard where you are called; whether you are bagging groceries, petrol
attendant, taxi driver or minister of the Word. Work hard.
Working hard is an example to those looking up to you. We often celebrate many people with
success and we really do not know how they reached that stage. Others were funded by inheritance
and have never knocked at any door. Ruth was a gleaner, and was an example to other gleaners as
she moved to become a field owner. Your children can learn from you; that hard work pays off.
Working hard allowed Ruth to be seen, to be noticed. If she had used her time somewhere, she
would have not met her future husband, and would glean, be poor, a widow and foreign for the rest
of her life. Your situation cannot be the same for the rest of your life. Ruth worked hard. Work hard.
What you do everyday matters. Ruth woke up to glean in the fields of Boaz. Every day you must
work hard at looking at your SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). You must
understand that strengths and opportunities make you grow and weaknesses and threats make you
stagnant. Every day you need to spend time asking yourself questions and providing honest
responses. Focus on your strengths. What do you have that your competitors do not have? I am
certain when Larry Page and Sergey Brin started Google; they understood they had something to
offer us that Yahoo was not offering in the search engine. I am sure that when Jack Ma started
Alibaba.com; he had something to offer us that Amazon was not offering in the e-commerce
business. I am of the belief that Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp of Uber knew that every country
had transportation system, but started it in anyway.
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They worked hard and that has sustained them. Analyse your strength daily. My two notable
strengths are working hard and willingness to learn. What are your strengths? You can take a lot of
business competitors out of the game, if you concentrate on your strengths. Steve Jobs had strength
of creating an IPhone yet there were many brands like Siemens, Samsung, and Nokia, to name a few.
Your small business will grow to a shop and then grow to a mall.
Your weaknesses may be the downfall. In business, your weakness may be the price of what you are
selling. Your weakness may be the distance from your area of business to your customers. How do
you deal with your weakness? My weakness is I cannot collect debt. I have therefore resorted to
cash on delivery. List all the weaknesses that make your hustle struggle. Some of them may be in
your blind spots. This means you are not able to see these. This may include how customers are
treated when you are absent or theft by staff members.
What are the opportunities surrounding your life? This means potential development that will be
good for you. Ruth had an opportunity of becoming a field owner. Opportunities can be discovered
or exploited. Going to Bethlehem made her discover so many opportunities. Above everything she
had an opportunity to progress from poverty to prosperity. If there is a new shopping mall being
built, there may be opportunities. For some, corona and lockdown brought opportunities. Think of
Eric Yuan who is the found of Zoom video communications tool. This tool was used by many
companies as they tried to work from home during the lockdown. He developed it a year ago and
was not doing well in terms of sales but the lockdown created an opportunity for him. What are the
opportunities surrounding your business? You need to listen to news so that you know what crisis
you can solve with your business ideas. Work hard to creating opportunities for yourself and others
too. If you are a videographer, you may give your clients contacts of people who are caterers and
decorators. These people will also give their clients your card.
The last aspect of SWOT is threats. This involves what may affect you negatively. If someone starts a
similar business, that is a threat. Alibaba.com is a threat to Amazon! They are reducing their market
share. What threatens your business? Ruth had other threats since there were other women in the
fields but she worked hard and she stood above them. People who are selling veggies near shops
have had a fair share of this; with some investor building shelters and forcing them to rent these or
threatening to evict them. Work hard to eliminate any threats.
You must be committed to work hard. You must be hands-on and be able to do all tasks of your
business. You don’t need to be an accounting expert to know about numbers in financial statements.
You don’t need to be a marketing expert to know about customer attraction and retaining. You don’t
need to be an IT specialist to know if new hardware and software is needed. Can you prepare fried in
your Kota business? Can you replace water for chickens in your business of growing chickens? Work
hard to improve your business and get recognition. People must shift from their regular supplier to
you. If you work hard, people will trust you. Boaz trusted Ruth because she worked hard. Work hard
to study about your business or work. Attend courses and join business associations. Be committed
to selling your services or products. Work hard. Work hard to acquiring resources for your services or
products. Work hard when you are marketing your services or products. Work hard at selling or
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rendering the service. Work hard to improve yourself. I am told that success is 1% inspiration and
99% perspiration. You must sweat. You must get wet.
I remember carrying 40 pairs of shoes and trying to find hitchhiking spot. Progressing from poverty
to prosperity is hard but if you are committed to working hard, you reach greater heights. Imagine
those who gleaned with Ruth hearing that Ruth is now their boss! Hard workers talk less and do
more. If you see a better way to work, do it. Hard workers will acquire other businesses that may
help grow their business. For example, if you are selling food, acquire a car that can make deliveries.
You may use the car as a meter taxi as well. If you are selling alcohol, consider fast food and non-
alcoholic drinks. Be willing to walk the extra mile. Hard workers are committed to do what others
won’t do. Ruth only rested for a few minutes and went back to work. Wake up early and be the first
to arrive at work and sleep later as you are the last to leave. Hard works pays off.
There are many people who are working with or selling the same services or products as you. You
have to outwork them. They may be smarter than you but you can outwork them. Work hard. They
may have contacts and more costumers but you can outwork them. Put longer hours. They may have
better start-ups accounts and a huge financial backing but you can outwork them. You can lose, you
can fail, and you can be rejected; but being committed to your progress, will put you again in
business.
You need to work hard in studying all aspects of life. You must understand your work more than
anyone. Studying frees your mind. You learn new ways of doing things. You become creative and
learn more skills. It’s not talent and wisdom only that will make you progress! How much time do
you spend on reading a day? Read from podcasts, YouTube, blogs, books, articles, journals, etc.
There are even audio books now! Attend skills workshops, seminars, mentorships, symposiums, and
other programs that speak to what you want to progress in. Attend networking events. Expand your
capabilities. Expand your knowledge. Expand your networks. If you are in business, you will meet
exciting funders, employers, employees and other people with same business ideas. You must be
developed and trained. You are a brand; therefore you must be able to attract people who are going
to make you progress from poverty to prosperity.
Good people, you are what you read. Work hard in feeding your mind with knowledge and you will
be able to get out of every situation. Think about this; there are many people who lost their jobs and
business didn’t do well during lockdown. A person who is always learning was able to use the newly
acquired thinking and skills to find something to do. You will be forever progressing, if you learn. You
will always find a way to grow. Self-development is one of the most important aspects in life. You
need to work on yourself. Obtain all the help you can get. From mentors, friends, family, etc.
You must be able to acquire skills and knowledge outside your business or work expertise and
interests. You cannot claim that since you are a doctor you don’t need commerce knowledge. How
many languages do you know? Learn a new language, and while you are at it, learn a new culture.
Learn new technology. There are business people who are really struggling to embrace new
technologies. It becomes easier. Be curious. Ask questions. The truth is that people who get better
marks at school are those that ask questions for clarity. And so for your progress, ask mentors and
anyone guiding you. Kenneth H. Blanchard once wrote “when you stop learning you stop growing.”
Learning is for progress. Learning is for growth. What did you learn today that will help you in life?
Ruth submitted to Naomi that she had learned the field was owned by Boaz. That sparked a
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conversation with Naomi and they discussed that he was their relative and from there a lot of
possibilities emerged. What did you learn to day?
Ruth was in the foreign land for the first time and learned to glean. You have to start somewhere
and work hard. You may start a business without knowing many aspects but if you are willing to
learn, you will grow. Learn to grow. Learn to succeed. You cannot separate progress and learning.
Steve Jobs said “Learn continually- there’s always “one more thing” to learn”. That one more thing
to me is skills to convert good marketing to sales. That one thing to you may be compiling a good CV
to get a good job. That one more thing to you may be discipline on spending after profit-making in
your growing business. Do not be ashamed to say “I am still learning.” “A learning curve is essential
for growth,” said Tammy Bjelland. We learn from people and situations. Keep learning. Register for a
specific qualification, register for a certificate that will give you recognition, register for an online
course on certain topic, and work hard to read for personal development.
You need to have passion. Hard workers have passion. Passion is simply an emotion that can get you
do amazingly great things. Passion to work is like petrol to a car. Passion means that whenever you
think about your work, there is a burning fire inside you. Find your fire. Having passion means you
have a strong desire and you are enthusiastic about what you are doing. Ruth loved to work. She
gleaned as if she was hired to glean. She had passion for field work and would do better as a field
owner. This means your work or business must be tailored around what you love as a person. I love
shoes; therefore I have started a business called Gome Shoebox, where I sell shoes for men. I see
this growing and becoming a shoe shop then ultimately being a shoe manufacturer. If you love
children, think of opening a crèche. If you love hair, think of opening a salon or boldly thinking of a
hair product. Hustling must be born from passion. If you do what you don’t love, you will be bored
and quit. Ruth kept going until the harvest season was over, because she loved what she was doing.
It is easier to put all your energy on something you love.
Passion will allow the fire to burn inside you. You will seek growth, you will obtain growth, and you
will maintain growth. Love what you are creating daily. Ruth was creating relationships with
important people every day. She was known by the harvest foreman and later the field owner. Your
work must excite you. What you offer must excite you. Passion may come from experience, skills,
knowledge of business, social ties, interests or family background. Passion may also come from
willingness to progress from poverty to prosperity. Work with passion. Passion will lead you to
places you never thought you would see. Passion allows you to see progress and success. Passion
speaks to promotion. Passion allows you to sacrifice so that you progress. Even if people have
negative thoughts about you, you remain positive. Positivity allows you to bounce back quicker. Ruth
bounced back from being a widow to become a wife. You must increase the passion in what you do.
Put more energy into it. Have courage. Courage that anything can be done to ensure you progress.
Courage is that, there is nothing that can hold you back from what you desire. As a business person
you work hard to gain more customers, more sales and profit.
Work hard. You should work hard to create a stable environment. By stable it is meant that the
conditions are normal, continuous, and consistent. The conditions are not changing. Stability means
the people can predict what will happen next. People usually react negatively to instability. People
want a life where they have a routine to follow and they respond better to familiar situations. People
do well in a stable environment where they have a familiar way of doing things. People do not like
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interruptions. People like continuity. Ruth was to become a parent. Children need stable housing,
stable family structure, stable food, stable finances, stable environment, stable medical care and
stable relationships. Ruth worked hard as she created family, environmental and financial stability
for generations to follow. Work hard.
There is no replacement or substitute for hard work. Talent cannot substitute nor replace hard
work. Connections cannot substitute nor replace hard work. Education cannot substitute nor replace
hard work. Nothing will bring progress other than hard work. Nothing will bring growth other than
hard work. Nothing will bring profit other than hard work. You have to work hard. Lazy hands bring
poverty. Do not sleep during harvest. Hard work compensates for talent, connections, and
education. Hard work can beat all of these if you those who possess them do not work hard. Lazy
people want much but get little and those who work hard prosper. It is not about wanting and sitting
but wanting and working hard for it. Actually, when Paul was with the Thessalonians, he gave them
an order “whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.” He wrote further that he is
getting reports that there are some people among the Thessalonians who refuse to work. If you
refuse to work, you refuse prosperity. Ruth worked hard. You must work hard. Awaken the hard
working Ruth in You.
Paul wrote to Timothy that all hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their
labour. Those who study hard should be the first to enjoy their salaries. Those who work hard to
ensuring there is happiness and contentment in their marriages should be the first to enjoy their
marriage. You should be the first to enjoy your hard work. Ruth was the first to enjoy her hard work.
She was given food and water to drink. She was promoted from gleaner and was allowed to harvest
and get better crop. She had plenty of food. Even when she visited Boaz in the threshing floor, she
came back with food. Indeed a hard worker has plenty of food. She didn’t want quick riches but had
patience in gleaning, harvesting and then owning the field. She got a rich reward.
Ruth worked hard to support Naomi. We are told in the book of Acts that if we are labouring we
should be able to support the weak. Naomi was old. How do you support the vulnerable? All the
hard work you do must be for allowing progress. You cannot work hard at destroying others. Other
people do not rest until they bring someone down. Do not take the path of the wicked. Work hard.
FOCUS
Ruth 2:8d “Do not go to any other fields”

“Often the focus tends to be on obstacles rather than on strategies” Ellen Kelley
We find Boaz telling Ruth that she must focus on the field she was harvesting. Focus means ignoring
what surrounds you. Ruth was so focussed in the field that she did not even notice young men that
she worked with. Ruth did not go to other fields. Ruth was focused on the fields of Boaz and it is in
these fields that she progressed. A focussed person is more powerful than what surrounds him.
When sick, they focus on getting better than counting those leaving dead in their hospital wards.
When in jail, even the prison cell cannot confine their thinking.
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When Ruth was working as a gleaner, she had a focus of an owner. Ruth had nothing to eat in their
home with Naomi, but she was focussed. Ruth was so focussed that she was grateful for little things
like water, bread and vinegar, as if she knew that one day she would own all of that. Ruth saw no
obstacle; she knew she had to go through all that, to become a field owner. We sometimes become
so distracted by obstacles that we forget that the same Red sea that is an obstacle, the same river
Jordan that is an obstacle, the same walls of Jericho that are an obstacle, and the same sons of Anak
that are an obstacle; God will allow you to pass through them. Focus on passing through.
Focus.
A focussed person does not look at her today, but in the near future. Ruth progressed from gleaning
to harvesting barley, and was very clear that today didn’t matter. She focussed on what mattered;
her tomorrow. She was focussed on the field that she entered the field as a gleaner and left it a
harvester. You will get promotions because of your high level of focusing.
There is a concept that I would like to exercise here; that of a black sheep amongst white sheep.
Ruth was a Moabite, different in tribe to the people of Bethlehem. Obviously there were other
gleaners. But let us focus on this, Ruth was different. Maybe her peers went out and had fun but
Ruth was focussed. Ruth was focussed on the work. Now Boaz is saying “focus” to a person who
already understands the concepts of focussing. This is how you should be; different. Ruth was a black
sheep. She worked hard and focused, and she was noticed.
Focus.
For a person to focus on the field she is working on it takes boldness and courage but it is worth it!
Focus on your field. A student must focus on his studies. Focus on your field. A parent should focus
on raising her children. Focus on your field. Focus on what matters. Forget about drugs, about
immoral activities and about unhealthy relationships.
Be patient. I remember Naomi saying Boaz will not rest until the matter is settled. Focus on the
deadline. Focus on the day the matter is settled.
Focus.
All sporting codes require that you focus. I have seen a soccer team leading 4-0 in the first half of a
game, only to be beaten 5-4, because they lost focus. Ruth was promoted to harvest, but she kept
focus. In soccer match, even if the referee is against you or there are hard tackles from the
opponents, you need to focus. Most failures come from lack of focus. Peter was walking on the
water and had done very well, but immediately when he moved his eyes from Jesus, he sank. He lost
focus.
There is always a price tag, and Ruth was willing to pay the price. The price is focusing. Be
determined. Determination is defined as the ability to continue even though the conditions are
against you. Being determined is an anchor to continuing to pursue your dreams even if the mood
you started with has changed. You notice the determination by mentioning the end, Ruth said “I will
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die where you die”. A determined person begins with the end in mind. This carried you under
whatever circumstances. You continue harvesting under extreme weather conditions. You continue!
Be determined, like a race horse. Do not focus on competitors. Do not focus on critics. Do not focus
on comparisons. Run your race. Win your race. Ruth was focussed. A focussed person does not
consider negative opinions by other people. I remember the father of the prodigal son. The father
was so focussed that his eyes were always on the roads hoping that his son will one day return
home. He returned. When the son returned, the father was so determined to welcome his son that
he chose a fattened cow. Even when the older son was bitter, the father was determined. Let them
be bitter, but focus.
A determined person maps a clear path from point A to point B. Write down your plan; how do you
progress from gleaner to field owner. Write down how you will progress from poverty to prosperity.
Be committed to the plan. You know, if you are committed to a plan, you may skip other levels to
reach the highest level. We don’t remember Ruth becoming a supervisor, but she became a field
owner. Do a checklist, how far are you with your plan?
A determined person will tell you that despite some rejections I will still be successful. Life is not
about how many NO responses you received but that one YES. Ruth was rejected by the nearest
kinsman redeemer, but that one YES came from Boaz sustained her. After sending so many CVs
through e-mail, post and hand-delivering; that one YES gets you a decent job! After dating so many
people; that one YES gets you into happy marriage. After applying in many financial institutions; that
one YES gets you an affordable home loan. You need one YES. Focus until you get that one YES.
Your eyes must be on the field in which you are harvesting. Do not be disturbed. Do not be
disrupted. Focus. Focus on your family. Focus on your studies. Focus on your work. Focus on your
church. Focus on your community. Your eyes must be in the field where you are gleaning. Focus on
the field where you are harvesting. Focus on the field you are going to own.
Do not long for your neighbour’s assets. Be satisfied in your field. Your partner is satisfactory. Your
children’s progress is enough. Focus.
Ruth focused on the work that had no much reward. But she would have never been a field owner if
she didn’t start by gleaning. We have to start somewhere; even if that somewhere is not what you
studied for. The message for you to be a field owner; may be delivered in the address where you are
supposed to be gleaning. Moses was looking after sheep when his message to go and free the
Israelites was delivered. Elisha was ploughing in the field when the message to be a prophet was
delivered. You have to start somewhere. The message will not be delivered at another address.
Focussing needs discipline. You need to be disciplined in all aspects. You need to be disciplined in
diet and exercise, finances, and time, amongst many. Time is important. Manage time. Use your time
wisely. Value your time. Be disciplined when it comes to time. Being disciplined means you use time
on what will add value to your progress. Be disciplined as to how you keep time, you perform your
duties. Discipline is about identifying what works for you and then sticking to it. Adhere to principles.
Work faster, so that you have more time to use in other aspects of your life. A disciplined person
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avoids being late. One minute late, you lose money. People are impatient with their monies in their
hands. You must value every moment. Get up early. The issue of time stretches to deadlines and
goals that will need you to be disciplined to achieve. For you to execute your plan, you need
discipline. Avoid taking a time-off during peak seasons. Do you even know the peak season of your
business? For us selling clothing, December is good for selling Christmas clothes. During this season
(festive), there are many events to attend. Think about this: social media has jokes, stories and a lot
of funny stuff. You can spend the whole day on social media. Discipline means, yes, you are on social
media, but to promote your business.
It has been argued that you need to mind money and this zooms into being disciplined. Don’t make
money to waste money. What rule do you use with money? I use 50-25-25 rule in business and use
60-30-10 when I was working as a teacher. This means I take 50% of the profits back to grow the
business. Get more resources and items to sell. Expand the building or whatever to grow your
business. I use 25% of the profits to pay myself for my needs and wants as a progressing business
person. And I use 25% of the profit to save and invest on other ventures. This means if I am making a
profit of R10 000, I will inject R5 000 back into the business, R2 500 I pay myself and I will invest the
remaining R2 500. One friend told me that it is important who you associate with. Avoid gold-digging
partners. Imagine a partner who spends R150 a day while you are still progressing! That is R4 500 a
month! More than you may pay yourself in your growth stage! Separate between needs and wants.
The 60-30-10 rule means 60% on living expenses, 30% on short term savings and 10% on long term
savings. This means if I am earning R20 000, I will use R12 000 on living expenses such as food,
shelter, clothing, transport and school, R6 000 on short term savings and I will invest the remaining
R2 000. This needs you to be focussed. I recently learned of a lady who prematurely withdrew an
investment worth R5m and was charged R450k for that. That is 9% of the money!
Being disciplined means avoiding distractions. Have morals. Some people end up having sexual
relations to get what they want. Ruth was commended for not sleeping around to progress from
poverty to prosperity. Do not be tempted. Be disciplined in taking care of your health. Eat any
prescribed medication until it is finished. Be disciplined in your thoughts, words, and actions. Be
patient and persistent. A persistent person keeps engaging with those in control of the outcome.
Sometimes you will need to call those whom you sent your business plan to. Sometimes you will ask
the delivery truck how far are they from your delivery point. Sometimes you will have to wait and
have faith in the process. Lack of patience has made many people lose work or business. If you are
not patient with your progress, you will end up looking for shortcuts and other quick fix methods. Do
not quit. Be persistent. Be patient. Be disciplined. Focus. One bad day doesn’t mean failure. Today
may not be good, but tomorrow may be better. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Focus on your
vision. Focus on your founding principles. Disciplined people never shift blame but become
accountable for all the results. Remember, in life you get paid for results. Discipline leads to
progress. Progress leads to success. You will progress because you are disciplined.
Every person has his strength that he can use to achieve great things in life. Find your strengths.
Focus on your strengths. It has been argued that Ruth had strength of working hard. What are your
strengths? There are businessmen who are good with innovation and growth but not with designing.
There are people who are good to coach but not playing. Put your strengths to work. Focus on what
you do well. Focus on what you are passionate about. I am good with grinding results as a teacher
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and if I need more money I must look into that business. If I take a promotion to be a Principal, there
will be no time for classes. My strengths are in class. Doing well within your strengths will
compensate for your weaknesses. Strengths hide weaknesses. You may not have money to start a
business but you have the ability to do work as your strength. Focussing on your strengths may also
give you time to work on your weaknesses. I have strength in communicating a message clear. Let
me write, speak and teach. I can also use the same strength in marketing and sales. Learn to focus
on your strengths. Ruth focussed on her strength and her strength attracted Boaz.
If whatever you are thinking, saying or doing is not helping you progress from poverty to prosperity;
leave it. This applies to even human beings. You can’t be friends with people who discourage you to
progress and bring negative mindset to your progress or growth. Say no to them or their demands.
That short-term sacrifice will make you a long-term growing person. Focus on your progress, no
matter what. Focus on why you are where you are. What were your intentions when you started
your business? Intent matters. All my businesses were built on the values of customer satisfaction,
financial stability, and growth and expansion of the business.
Be determined. Be committed. Be devoted. If you are committed to your short-term goals, you will
grow as a hustler. How much time you spend speaks more about being focussed on your work.
People dedicate 10 hours a day to their growth. In the 10 hours, they spend 6 hours on tasks that
cannot be done by anyone except him. For me this may be selling and debt collection in my Gome
Shoebox business and researching and compiling in my Gome Communications business. They then
spend the rest of the 4 hours in planning and strategizing on how make more sales. Being focussed is
also a long term thing. You need to be focussed on something that may take years until it bears
fruits. Stick to your goal. Have faith in the process. You may be forced to change methods, but not
goals. Your goal is to progress from poverty to prosperity.
If you have set goals, they include progress and results. Progress means how far and results mean
you have reached the goal. How far are you with your goal? You must have a progress report. You
must measure progress. You will know if you have accomplished anything and be able to celebrate
and go back to work. Have daily actions that you perform and monitor daily progress in which you
see if tasks were accomplished. When measuring progress, as a writer I have adopted something I
heard "anything is better than a blank page". Do something. That is progress. A 1000m runner
measures 200m and know he must do five of these. He considers himself progressing as each of
these 200m lapse. Focus on monitoring your progress. You have invested in an idea; thus, it is
important to know if there is any progress. You will know if you chose a wrong idea or if you need a
new idea. You must know whether you are staying or going. You must know if you will get support or
not. You must know if you are wasting time or persisting.
Let us look at what Scriptures revealed to me about our five senses:
SIGHT
If you are around Goshen, you may see the light. Don’t focus on the darkness in the other parts of
Egypt. Walk in the light. Focus on the light. There is light in your life, focus on that.
HEARING
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If you are around Shiloh, you may hear a Peninnah who is successful, teasing you. There will be birth
in your life, focus on that.
TASTE
If you are in Marah, you may taste bitter water. The water will be flavoured, your life will be
flavoured, focus on that.
SMELLING
If you are near Lazarus’s tomb, you may smell his body that has stayed for 4 days in a tomb. Lazarus
will rise; you will rise, and focus on that.
TOUCHING
If you are in Job’s place, you see him touching all sores in his body. There will be healing and all this
shall pass, focus on that.
Focus on the following:
1. Focus on using time productively: Be time-conscious. Ruth always ensured that she used time
in a productive way. Boaz was pleased with this skill of Ruth’s. Time was the only commodity
Ruth had. Ruth had no money. Ruth had time. Jesus urged his disciples to use time to pray that
they do not enter into temptation, rather than sleeping. How do you use your time? If you are
around people who are time-conscious, you must learn the skill of being time-conscious. Do
you not to waste time. People have the same amount of time but what makes us different is
how we make use of time afforded to us. Poor people use time for unprotected sex and bring
more sorrow. Wealthy people use time to make more money to bring happiness. Know what
you do with your time. Awaken the Ruth in You; focus on using your time effectively. Assess
the way you use your time. Spend more time with people who are interested in your progress
from poverty. Also, make time to be alone and reflect on what can be done for you to progress
in all aspects of your life.
2. Focus on one dream: Ruth had one dream everything else fell into place. She chose the God of
Naomi (spiritual growth), she had a husband, friends and a loving mother-in-law (love and
relationships), she was a field owner (finances and work) and she was still able to give birth
(health and wellness). When Esther was chasing her dream, she affected all these four. She
grew in relationship with God as she saved His people, she had a husband and a good
relationship with her caregiver Mordecai, and she was a wealthy and healthy queen. Ruth was
foreign, poor, a widow, and childless. She would have chased a dream to change her
residence, or work so to change financial status, or find a husband so to be a wife, or sleep
with any man just to obtain a child. But she became Boaz’s wife. One dream. One solution.
Ruth became native, wealthy, a wife, and had a child Obed. Your dreams must be aligned with
one dream. You must behave in ways that are in line with this one dream. Ruth did everything
in line with her dream of becoming the wife of Boaz. We don’t hear Ruth having a child with
some guy, taking money from another source, marrying someone for citizenship and claiming
to love Boaz. All her intentions were in one dream. For Ruth to be successful she pursued one
dream. One is specific. One is separate. One is on its own.
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3. Focus on the results: It was in the thoughts of Naomi that Ruth was still young and must bear
children. Naomi knew that in the end Ruth will become someone’s wife and bear children.
They took the journey to Bethlehem with that in mind. Ruth was focussed on the end where
she is a wife and bears a son. She started the journey, with the destination in mind. The path
from point A to point B may not be clear or outlined at that juncture, but arriving in point B is a
must. They start with the rewards. They start with the salaries. They start with graduations.
They start with the end in mind. She was results-oriented. A person who sells wants sales, a
student wants to graduate, a sportsperson wants championship and an employee wants
promotions and salary advancements. Everyone wants results. Everyone wants an output. For
sales, you put too much effort in marketing, branding, and promotion. Sales give hope. Results
give hope. Rewards and awards give hope. Whether the execution was bad or good, there will
be results. Good results are what we hope for when we start and bad results mean resources
have been wasted but there were lessons. Many people are protective of their ideas and even
if they are not showing results. Focus on the results. If there are no results, you may need to
adapt quickly and change something. Learn to understand the rewards of any hustle.
Sometimes hustle will only bring experience. But you are looking for good results. Results must
motivate you. What is the reward? This was the first thing David asked when he prepared to
fight with Goliath. What is your end-game?
4. Focus on positioning yourself: Ruth had a condition of being in poverty and a vision of being in
prosperity. For you to progress to prosperity, you need to position yourself. Condition
influences position. You know your condition. You are poor. You are an unemployed graduate.
You see your vision. You will prosper. You will get a job. Take a position that will take you out
of that condition. Take a position that will allow you to clearly see your vision. Ruth focused on
positioning herself. Position gives perspective. You cannot dig a hole or walk into a valley and
expect to see far. You will need to climb a mountain to see. You will see new things. You will
see things that were not visible in your old station. Position yourself to receive great offers.
Position yourself to get recognition. Position yourself. Applying for jobs and businesses means
you are positioning yourself. Behaving well and saving yourself for a better partner and
marriage means you are positioning yourself. Do not be desperate to get out of a condition by
putting yourself in an awkward position. You may worsen your condition. Think of having sex
with older people for money and you end up with pregnancy and sicknesses. Focus on
positioning yourself.
5. Focus on questioning yourself: Questions will be able to make you progress from poverty to
prosperity. If you don't ask yourself questions about your life, someone else will, and you may
not like their tone. People have adopted what is known as the V2MOM method of asking
questions about your life:
a) What do I really want? (VISION)
b) What is important about it? (VALUES)
c) How will I obtain it? (METHOD)
d) What is preventing me from getting it? (OBSTACLES)
e) How will I know if I have got it? (MEASUREMENTS)
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Ruth asked herself these questions. Ask yourself these questions. They will help you know the
realities and how to adapt quickly to achieve some results. Ask yourself questions. Focus on
asking yourself questions about spiritual growth, finances and work, love and relationships,
and health and wellness.
6. Focus on work: what are you working on? Are you studying? Are you seeking employment?
Focus on what you working on. Ruth gleaned better than any gleaner because she was
focussed on her work. Ruth was better than five sons, said the women of the town. Why
would they say that? Ruth focussed on her work. Ruth focused on her work as a wife to Boaz,
mother to Obed, daughter to Naomi and an employer to field workers. Commit to your work.
Work willingly to progress from poverty to prosperity. Work with all your heart. Focus on
building. You must do the same things (habits) every day until you get results. Results are from
routines.
7. Focus on the purpose: Ruth said let me go to the fields. She focussed on the field because that
is what she woke up for. Her purpose was to be on the fields. The wise men from the east
followed the star. Their purpose was to worship the one who was born a king. They said that
we saw his star in the east and we have come to worship him. They had challenges along the
way. The star disappeared. They tried to ask for directions from King Herod but he had no clue.
Some of us would have gone back to the east and forget about the star but the wise men from
the east focussed on the star re-appearing. Ruth had a purpose. The wise men from the east
had a purpose. You have a purpose. Focus on your purpose. Your purpose at school is to study
and get excellent results. Do not lose focus on your purpose. Your purpose in a relationship is
happiness and growth. Do not lose focus on your purpose. You must be aware of what is going
on around you. King David had no clue of what was going on in his home when his daughter
Tamar was raped. He was not aware that his son Amnon had faked his sickness and was
advised by his nephew Jonadab. Focus on everything going on. Focus on the relationships your
children are having. They may have bad advisers such as the children of David. Focus on
discernment. Paul said he pressed toward the goal for the prize. Stay on the right track. Don’t
lose focus and have a blurred vision. What is the purpose of what you are doing? Have nothing
in mind except your purpose.
8. Focus on possibilities: Ruth focussed on possibilities that she world progress from poverty to
prosperity. Life was difficult but she focused on possibilities that it would get easier. She was
falling apart but she focused on possibilities that she would be restored. She fixed her eyes on
possibilities. When she went to the field, she focussed on possibilities of coming back with
food. When she went to Boaz in the threshing floor, she focussed on the possibilities of Boaz
redeeming her. Life will be hard, focus on possibilities. Life will be challenging, focus on
possibilities. You will lose strength. You will lose hope. All you need to do is to focus on
possibilities of being strengthened and given hope again. Focus on things that will allow you
possibilities to grow in wisdom. Forget your past and focus on possibilities. Forget about
regrets and focus on possibilities.
9. Focus on positives: Ruth valued being a gleaner. She did it with all her powers. Value every
cent. A millionaire has cents on top of cents and makes a million. Put 5c on top of another 5c,
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you will soon have $1. Put $1 on top of another $1, you will soon have $10. You are becoming
wealthy. Do not worry about millions, worry about cents. Work on collecting all cents, you will
have a million. Lean to value small jobs and businesses and you will earn cents. And learn to
value every cent you get. There are people who only take tenders of $5m upwards. They say
this is bread and the other small tenders are crumbs. Focus on taking crumbs. Crumbs
collected together will soon become bread. Focus on gleaning. Focus on the positives. You
have food, clothes and shelter. You are studying towards a qualification. You have obtained a
qualification and seeking employment. Focus on what you have and be grateful. Use what is
available. Ruth was pleased with food that was gleaned. Jesus was able to feed more than
5000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread. Value your low budget and live within your
means. You don’t need to acquire debts to fulfil your needs. Forget people who set standards
for themselves and expect you to afford that. Forget about what you lack and focus on the
positives. Naomi was the greatest asset Ruth had. Time was the greatest commodity Ruth had.
The Israelites still had shoes on their feet, meaning they could still move forward. Move
forward. Progress. Shift your energy on being positive. When playing cards, it’s not about given
the best cards, but how you use the given cards to their maximum potential. Focus on what
you have.
10. Focus on being happy: Ruth was happy to report how her day went by. She was happy to
report yet she was working at the lowest level on the field; that of gleaning. Focus on being
happy for yourself and others. Focus on being happy for other peoples' success. You cannot
please everyone. If others are not happy with your success, let them be. Choose to be happy.
Be happy with your story. Ruth was happy with her progress from Moab to Bethlehem. It may
have not started well. It may not be going well. But you are born to be happy. Do not let
temporal troubles and pains to sadden you. Be happy. Celebrate. Enjoy the day you were born.
Enjoy holidays. Enjoy your life. Enjoy you. Be happy even in your failures and say "I am glad for
the experience". Be happy in your loss and say "I am joyous I got to meet and spend time with
you". Be happy in all situations. Happiness will confuse your enemies and haters. They will
throw everything in your path, to ensure you do not progress. Tell them "I am happy for the
training; you have made me stronger". The world is full of sad people. They are sad because
they failed. They are sad because they are not working. They are sad because business is not
going well. They are not happy. Be happy in all situations. In darkness, there will be light. In
failure, there will be success. Focus on being joyous. A joyful heart is good medicine.
HAVE RESTRICTIONS
Ruth 2:9b “I have warned young men not to touch you”

“Life has no limitations; except the ones you make” Les Brown
Boaz was telling Ruth that he told young men not to touch her. He later spoke to Ruth about how
pleased he was that she had shown more family loyalty and not gone after a younger man. Ruth had
restrictions. Ruth had boundaries. Ruth has constraints. Have restrictions.
Let us take a closer look at the book of Esther in the Bible. The king celebrated with ministers of his
provinces and he showed them all his possessions. He then sent an instruction to his wife, queen
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Vashti, to attend the event so that the king would show the ministers how beautiful she was. Queen
Vashti refused. This was seen as defiance and as rudeness and was punishable. Queen Vashti
showed that there are boundaries in a relationship. Bible history argues that the reason queen
Vashti may have refused was that this meant she had to be naked in front of all these ministers.
Whatever the reason, she refused. She had restrictions. You must have restrictions.
A story in the Bible is told that king David slept with Uriah’s wife, while Uriah was in a war. The wife
fell pregnant. To cover up, David instructed that Uriah be brought back from the battlefield and
sleep with his wife. Uriah refused. Uriah argued that his brothers were in the battlefield and he
couldn’t be busy enjoying his wife. It was time for war and he couldn’t be enjoying his wife as a
soldier. Uriah had restrictions. You must have restrictions.
Daniel and his friends were given food in the king’s quarters but they refused the food. When Jesus
was asked by his disciples to eat in Samaria, he told them that he had his own food that he ate. In
the Old Testament people were restricted to eat meat while it had its life blood in it. Blood is a
symbol of life. But also, meat with blood means it is not fully cooked and may carry diseases. The
problem we have is we eat everything, we are touched by everyone, and we are used by everyone.
We have no boundaries. We have no restrictions. The teenage pregnancies that are in numbers
today are a result of no restrictions. The problems with drugs and other abusive substances are a
result of no restrictions. The vow of being a Nazirite included not cutting your hair, not going near a
dead body, and not drinking wine or fermented drink. Taking a vow means having restrictions.
Samson may have violated all these. He touched the carcass of a dead lion that he had killed. Most
of his decision may have been influenced by wine. Wine was common in festivities. His hair was cut.
Boaz instructed young men not to touch Ruth. There were restrictions. People should have
restrictions around you. People have been warned. People should know the words to use and how
to behave around you. At school if a teacher is strict and he has a first period, learners wake up early
in their homes, because he has restrictions with time. People have a problem with keeping time.
Have restrictions.
The 10 commandments in the Bible were the Lord’s way of saying “I am restricting you from doing
this”. Do not touch someone’s wife. Do not lie. Do not yearn for your neighbour’s assets. He later
wrote that if you keep these commandments, He heals your sicknesses. Most of us are sick because
we do not have restrictions. A lawless person is no person.
At the beginning of September 2019 in South Africa there were riots where citizens of the country
were fighting non-citizens who were trading in counterfeit goods and were suspected to be involved
in drug-dealing, prostitution and human trafficking. Both sides were wrong. Non-citizens, who came
to seek refuge in a country, should remain there, as refugees. They broke trade and business laws
and labour laws. They were supposed to be restricted in refugee camps or any other place assigned
to them. They got out of their restrictions. Then we have the citizens taking law into their own
hands. Restrictions were also ignored. Have restrictions.
At the same time of these occurrences, other disturbing occurrences took place in the country. In a
week a lot of women were raped and abducted, others murdered. These men were not supposed to
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touch those women. Laws restricted them on that. Laws are approved for monitoring chaos in all
places. Laws are for order. Restrictions are for order. A lawless country is no country.
I read on the news on 26 April 2018 that South African government will impose a 16 years of age
restriction for WhatsApp. These age restrictions have helped in a lot of television programs. Some
exposure in the social network is the reason we are going the wrong directions. Drugs and sex are
normalized in social networks, with concepts such as friends with benefits and the benefits are sex
and drugs.
Boundaries are helpful and healthy. At work you need to know where to touch people. We have
been exposed to sexual harassment charges laid by workers suing bosses. Recently we experienced a
trend of pastors attending sexual offences cases, others with male children. Understand and know
your limits. Be able to say “do not”, not “you may not”. Be firm. Beliefs and values need not to be
crossed. If Boaz believed that young men were not supposed to touch, then they were not. If they
touched her, they would need to redeem her and the land. They would not afford her with their
salaries. You cannot spend more than you earn. That is a restriction on its own, and it would require
its own book. You must have restrictions.
Boundaries are encouraged even in marriage, in partnerships. People misuse unions. You need to be
firm but kind. I remember advising a married woman, whose husband called a prostitute and said he
wanted a three-some in the name of spicing the relationship. I had only two words for her: have
restrictions. People are willing to do anything in the name of love and saving their marriage. What
marriage? We can’t be that desperate such that principles are overlooked and we do threesomes
and other activities! You need to set guidelines and rules that are going to limit people and help
them understand how to behave around you. If they are learning, they must also understand how to
behave around other human beings. They must also know what will happen if they disregard these
limits.
When Nehemiah said there is a disgrace in Jerusalem because there were no walls and gates, he
meant they had no restrictions. People come and go as they please in Jerusalem. People see
whatever is done inside. There is no safety, no protection, and no privacy. Have restrictions. Have
walls. Nehemiah understood the concept of restrictions. We are told that he finished building the
walls and when he was about to put gates, Sanballat called him to a meeting. Nehemiah had
restrictions. He knew that Sanballat didn’t mean well and wanted to harm him. Nehemiah asked why
he would leave the great work he was doing for the nation of Judah and meet with Sanballat.
Nehemiah even went as far as saying that even if Sanballat send other four messengers, he would
still refuse.
You must know when you are not permitted. Nehemiah asked for permission for two things: a letter
to the governors to let him travel safely and a letter to the manager of the forest to give him timber.
Nehemiah teaches us that there are things you cannot do without being allowed. Don't use
shortcuts and connections, ask for permission. There are restrictions. There are premises you cannot
enter without permission. The timber belongs to someone, do not steal. Ask for permission to use it.
You will be amazed how many things you have done in life, without permission. Cohabitation is not
marriage; therefore, you are not permitted. Adultery, cheating, lying, deceiving; you are not
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permitted. Learn to ask for permission so that you are not charged with unauthorized entry to
private property and that you are not charged with stealing the timber. The timber was to be used
for building the walls. Do you own what you built with? Are you permitted to be where you are? As a
married person, if you can die where you are, is it not going to bring disgrace to your family?
Permissions vary with people. Your friends may not need permissions to do things; maybe because
they are not married, they are connected, or they can bribe their way out. You are not allowed!
Lepers were not allowed to stay inside camp once they were found to have leprosy. They were taken
outside camp for the duration of their sickness. You are not allowed to mingle with sick people.
Which sickness? Leprosy was associated with judgement of God for people who have sinned; like in
the case of Miriam and Uzziah. Leprosy meant people who are not saved. They were to be outside
camp. They were restricted to be inside. The judgement outside camp would be harsh. There is no
mercy outside camp. With leprosy, you are not allowed inside camp. Sins of people found with
leprosy mostly involved pride and ignorance. It is pride that allowed Miriam to undermine the
leadership of Moses. It is pride that allowed King Uzziah to perform priestly duties and burn incense.
You are not allowed to have pride. You will not get permission anywhere. Ignorance has allowed
people to have communion yet they are not in good standing. They will be taken outside camp. You
need to repent before you sit for communion. You are not allowed! You need to have fellowship
with the Lord. Communion is eaten to remember Christ; how do you remember someone you do not
know?
Hold on to your boundaries. No matter how many times they try you. Remember, they will try to
manipulate you into considering being lenient on your boundaries. No matter how hard they push,
do not conform. Keep that space between you and the other person. Keep that space between you
and that activity. Keep the space between your hand and that person you were told not to touch. A
boundary must be maintained. It must be kept. Remind them the rules, they may forget or try to test
or disrespect the rules. Remind them “these are my restrictions”. Do not forget to define the
boundary. “I have instructed young men not to touch you.” Not at home, not here, not anywhere.
Not at any time, certainly not during my time. If they touch her, there will be consequences, such as
losing a job, going to prison, or they would have to redeem her.
When Boaz said he had restricted young men from touching Ruth, he did exactly what most people
do. They are not restricting the people they are concerned about; they are restricting other people
from interacting with the person they are concerned about. Most parents would rather tell their
son’s friends to not interact with their son. I have heard of rich parents giving money to a poor girl to
dump their son and move on to look for another man in “her league”. I can imagine Boaz restricting
young men not to touch Ruth yet he touches her. But this principled man did not touch her even
when they shared the same blanket in private (threshing floor). It is sad that people have spoken
words about restrictions but not in line with their actions or behaviour. Actions mean you have set a
boundary and you are also sticking to it.
Prisons are full of people who lacked restrictions. This is what crime is. Touching what you are not
allowed to touch. Murder, rape, robbery, etc. means people had no restrictions. Have restrictions.
History will teach you to have boundaries. Parents who restrict their children on drugs have seen
people dying of drug-related problems and committing crimes because of drug-use. A friend who
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refuses to lend you his car may have seen someone still paying for a car that was borrowed from him
and it was involved in an accident and is beyond repairs.
Have restrictions.
Do you answer your phone anytime? I am not saying do not call me after 10pm, but I am saying I will
not respond after 10pm. I am not saying don’t be polygamous, but I am saying I will not be part of
polygamy. I am not saying do not insult me, but I am saying I will not be insulted by you. I am saying I
am not creating boundaries around you but around my life. Boaz is not saying you must not touch,
but you must not touch Ruth. I cannot change you; I can only be firm in my beliefs and values. I am
not saying do not invite me, but I am saying I am not coming. And do not push my boundaries. There
is a line drawn, do not cross it. I have restrictions.
Manage all your resources well but know time is the greatest resource you have. Make the most out
of the time you have to succeed. Remember, a billionaire and a beggar has the same amount of
time. Always create time to work towards what you want to achieve. Do not waste time. Learn the
value of time. If you are working on something, find your shining hour. This is an hour in which you
shine; you make things happen. For others it's in the morning, and for others it's in the noon. Find
you time to be productive and do things. Do not waste time. You must be able to account for every
minute you spend every day. Find what disturbs you more often and try to limit the time you spend
on it. It may be social media, blogs or TV. Do allocate time for these, you still need to know what is
happening out there and socialize also.
You must know what time is it, in your life. There is a time to search and a time to quit. There is a
time to give and a time to take. There is a time to plant and a time to harvest. David said that Joab
killed Abiner during the time of peace. Joab dirtied his hands and belt with blood of the innocent.
There is a time for peace and a time for war. You must know what time it is, so you restrict yourself
in doing certain activities. We are told that the people of Issachar knew what time it is. There is a
time for everything. Once you get your time wrong, you will do wrong things. You will spend during
the season of investing money. You will use alcohol during the time to spare your health with some
treatment. There is a time to tear down and a time to build up. Ruth was still building her financial
pillar and couldn’t be found gallivanting with a younger man. Ruth was still waiting to be redeemed
by an older man, therefore restricted herself from being seen with a younger man. Ruth was
building. Ruth was establishing her kingdom. Ruth was still gathering stones so she could build. She
couldn’t be found scattering stones. The greatest restriction you can impose on yourself is to know
what time it is so you manage your time well. You will know even the time to retire or quit.
It is one of the biggest debates in religion whether to keep Sabbath or not. Sabbath was introduced
as part of the laws that were read by Moses in the mountain of God. The Israelites were commanded
to keep the Sabbath. This meant resting on the seventh day. You would remember that the Israelites
were enslaved in Egypt and worked every day of the week. This was a way God was giving them rest.
He also linked it with two events. He associated it with the fact that He worked for six days when He
created the earth and heavens and rested on the seventh day. He also associated it with the
permanent rest He would give the Israelites in the Promised Land. Now, we find the Pharisees
accusing the disciples of Jesus of plucking heads of grains during the Sabbath. The Pharisees claimed
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that this was like a harvest and was not allowed during the Sabbath. The Israelites were restricted to
work on the Sabbath. Then Jesus healed a man during Sabbath. They accused him of violating the
laws. He then asked them which was lawful between going good or evil and saving life or killing. It is
then that Jesus took time to explain to them that Sabbath was created for man, not man was
created for Sabbath. This meant people must not be burdened by Sabbath. Sabbath was created to
ease their burden. Sabbath was for rest. We find rest in Christ as He has done all the work necessary
for our salvation. We have found rest in Him. Sabbath pointed to Him. Therefore, you are not
restricted to rest on Sabbath.
When the angel of death reached threshing floor in Jerusalem, God said it is enough. There was
death because of a plague with 70 000 lives lost. In the threshing floor a line was drawn. This was
where there was a restriction. In this place you acknowledge that you have seen or heard too much
suffering and you are drawing a line. You tell your neighbour that the abuse is enough! You tell your
partner that the cheating must stop! There is a very thin line between enemies and friends, and it
must be carefully drawn. There is a thin line between friends and opportunists, truth and lies, and
love and lust. Remind people that there are conditions that may have been taken as normal and
acceptable, and you must learn to say "it's enough!" It's a rape if someone forces himself into you,
even if you are a couple! Drawing a line means it's time for a change. It means you have stayed long
in that place. You need to move on. It's time to break ties and move on. It may seem safe at times
because you are afraid to step out of your comfort zone and into unknown waters. Drawing a line
opens a need for something new. We have had it with greedy politicians, evil church leaders,
controlling lovers, and lying employers. We are in a position of drawing a line. It stops here and now!
The Bible teaches us a valuable lesson about Shimei. When he met King David in Jordan River, he
insulted the king. David didn’t do anything to Shimei and even instructed his troops not to do
anything to Shimei. When David was in his deathbed, he called his son Solomon. He told Solomon to
be cautious of Shimei. When Solomon became king, he restricted Shimei from crossing the Kidron
River. Shimei had insulted his father near water and now was being restricted to be near any water.
There are things you are not allowed to be nearer because you have a problem. Find the location of
your Kidron River. Other countries keep records of sexual offenders and they are available to the
public. It helps people to look up for someone they are dating, to see if they are not on the list. If
they are on the list, you will know that they may abuse you. They have a problem if they are near
women. This helps you in that you know what temptations give you sleepless nights and should
restrict yourself from going near them. Ask God to lead you not into temptations. Have boundaries.
Parents, learn to set and maintain restrictions to your child. Restrictions have raised great men and
women. Just knowing that this is my father’s seat, knowing that this is my father’s car; it limits you.
Other homes would have become taverns and brothels were it not for the laws that restricted what
goods and who entered the premises. Those “beware of the dog”, “80km/h” signs, have avoided
many accidents and damage of property. Most parents think that their children are doing wrong
because of other children. What if your child is the most corrupt? What if your child is not forced to
do these things and lacks correct judgement? Proverbs 3:21 “don’t lose sight of common sense and
discernment. Hang on to them.” To discern is to know what is good and what is not.
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 Restrict your children from having an affair with immoral people. They must have boundaries
with their body. They must have boundaries with their emotions and feelings. Some people have
loved too much, some have loved so easily, and some have shown too much love.
 Restrict your children from speaking unkindly to people. The tongue can bring death or life. They
must not be false witness. They must not lie. They must learn to speak well and the truth.
 Restrict your children on goods that enter your households. If there are any illegal weapons or
drugs, you will be charged with possession because this is your property. Privacy is encouraged
but within boundaries that you are the authority.
 Do you have restrictions with regards to time? When do you lock your gates? I hope this is not
gender-biased, where females must be back home by 6pm and males anytime.
 Restrict your children on cell phone and social networks activities. Encourage them to sleep.
Have clear restrictions on what the phone is for and when it is to be used. The internet is not for
pornography! They must use it for school and other information. Imagine being called to school
for a case where your child was caught watching porn during school hours!
 Restrict your children on having multiple partners. If you insist on meeting their partner, this can
be reduced. Children lack self-control and sex has lost its value. Be open about dating and sexual
activities.
 Restrict their screen time. This means time they use to watch television. This will also help in
grasping other characteristics. If you say no television until you have done your homework, your
children will learn prioritizing and doing things in an order. If they are no longer reading, they
must learn to close the book and put it back or they are no longer watch the television they must
switch it off.
 Other restrictions may involve hygiene. Everyone is not allowed to touch food in the morning
before they brush their teeth and wash their hands. You may implement other table manners
laws such as no-one is allowed to leave a table while others are still eating, and must clear their
plate of any leftovers. You might like to look into restrictions about name calling. I had a case of
a child who has a problem with mathematics and his brothers would call him “dummy”.
 Do not restrict your children from playing. We grew up playing by creating something; role
playing, independent play and co-operative playing. The prophet Zechariah said that children
must fill the streets and play. Let them play with other children. Monitor what they are playing.
Playing is better than isolating themselves in watching television and phone games. You must
know where they are playing, and their safety is a priority.
You must have restrictions.
HELP YOURSELF
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Ruth 2:9c “And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well”
“Life is a buffet; you’ve got to help yourself” Doug Leigh
Boaz told Ruth to help herself whenever she was thirsty. Ruth helped herself when she got thirsty.
King David alluded to that they offered him sour wine for his thirst. He asked for something better
they offered him something bitter. That is how people are. It is better to help yourself. Helping
yourself is being independent and having freedom of doing things to uplift self. Being able to help
yourself will allow you to take more control of your life and not rely so much on others to complete
your assignments in life. People have adopted and adapted to situations where they rely on
government, on parents, on siblings or on partners to achieve certain goals. What if help doesn’t
come? What if help doesn’t come from the person who you asked to help? You must be able to help
yourself.
When Ruth helped herself, she was saying she was capable and she was taking control of her life!
You must feel good yourself before people tell you that you look good. You do not need someone’s
approval and stamp. Have confidence in your taste. Help yourself. Have confidence in yourself. You
don’t need people to tell you about your weight. You will know what to do with your weight,
whether you join gym or you keep your body and find suitable clothes. Help yourself. If you don’t
believe in your abilities, who will? If you don’t have faith in yourself, why must other people have
faith in you? Helping yourself means you get to decide who goes and who stays. You trust these
decisions, even if they seem to be against other people.
Remember, most people like people who rely on them. People like beggars. They feel good that you
always come to them for favours. That is why others find it difficult helping you in job seeking, so
you remain begging. Help yourself.
There are things that you need to get out of. Others you may have been put in by your parents, like
the Israelites in Egypt. Help yourself. You cannot go around complaining about history and staying
in the same pigsty. Get out! Help yourself!
No-one will help you get out of an abusive relationship. No-one will help you get a better job or
promotion. No-one will help you be a better parent, a better neighbour, a better you; more than
yourself. People prefer you working for them or under them. Help yourself to climb a ladder of
success. Ruth worked hard as a gleaner. She was used to helping herself. Get used to helping
yourself. You have necessary tools in a form of talents, gifts or education; to open any door. Get
inside. Help is in the inside. Outside there is noise, with a loud voice saying “you cannot”. You need
to block all the outside noise. There is a lot of negativity on the outside. Vision is inside. Dreams are
inside. Hope is inside. Faith is inside. Help yourself to get inside that door. Help yourself unlock those
doors.
You have a meeting with yourself today and the agenda is you need to be motivated and make it a
habit to help yourself. Aim to be better, by helping yourself. Ruth was told to help herself when she
got thirsty. What are you thirsty for? Are you thirsty for success? Help yourself. You seem thirsty for
the next level in your relationship, in your spiritual life, and in your finances. Help yourself. It is good
to have idols and role models, but do not forget you must be able to create a better you. Ruth may
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have looked up to Naomi, but Ruth certainly achieved what she wanted for herself. Ruth is in the
Hall of Fame and counted as a great grandmother of Jesus. What history have you made? What shall
you be remembered for? What have you given birth to? Look up to yourself; to help yourself.
It is okay to be reminded that you are foreign, that you are poor, that you are a widow, and that you
are sonless. We live in a world that classifies people; that categorize people into races, education,
religion, income, and gender, amongst many. In spite of that, Ruth was able to progress from gleaner
to field owner. They always described her as a Moabite woman who came back with Naomi! And
one day they would call her madam or boss lady! Awaken the self-help within you.
Do not expect people to be sweet, to love, and to care. If they do, be thankful. If they don’t, help
yourself. They will ask you where you are in life, they will take your contact details, and they will take
your CV; and not help you. Most will ask you and you think they care, but they are just curious. They
know your ability to help yourself. They are afraid of your ability to help yourself. You must be able
to differentiate between what you think of yourself and what other people think of you.
Life is not about numbers. Life is not about being helped by a number of people. Help yourself. The
more you increase the number of those who help you, the less reasons to celebrate the victories.
You should help yourself. How many people do you need to thank for helping you obtain your
degree? How many people had a role in you securing your first million dollars? I remember one
friend who was given by his uncle R200 while we were at university in 2004. Recently the uncle had a
son who was studying at a university. He told his son to call this friend of mine whenever he had
financial problems, because he also helped him when he was studying. People will remind you. The
people who are supposed to help you will rebel against you one day. King David had an advisor by
the name of Ahithopel, who revolted against him and opted to advise his son Absalom on what to do
to take his father’s thrown. Learn to help yourself. People will betray you.
There is this pressure of accepting favours so that you can afford the stuff that your parents or
guardians cannot afford. Wear what your parents can afford. Be what your parents can afford. There
is an English saying that goes “he who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.”
You are not a misfit. You must stop worrying about what people will say. Stop pleasing people.
People must be happy about what you are doing if you are happy. Their judgements or assessments
will not jumpstart your career; it will not quench your thirst. You are the only person who can help
you quench that thirst. You need to create your own timeline. Do not worry about label clothes; you
will wear them in your timeline. For now, you need to map your path. Create your timeline.
Ruth helped herself, whenever there was a need for water. Do you need the expensive jeans,
weaves and phones that you prostitute yourself for? Do you need the alcohol that you sell your body
for? There is power in upgrading yourself so that you afford everything that you need. Help yourself.
Others cannot even get out of abusive relationships because they are afforded expensive clothing,
phones, groceries, and they are not even permitted to attend events that are going to help them
realize the need to help selves. These are people you cannot engage with in a proper conversation
because their beliefs and values are shaped by the cage they are enclosed in.
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Do not lose sight of who you are. Do not lose sight of your abilities. You can help yourself from the
lowest level to the highest. You can help yourself from being an abusive husband to a caring loving
father. You can help yourself progress from poverty to prosperity. If you know who you are, you will
know your strengths that you can use to help yourself. Challenge yourself. What is it that you want
to improve? Help yourself. Does the status quo meet your needs? Is your relationship dying a slow
death? Are you slowly drowning in debts? Are you spiritually backsliding? Is your health
deteriorating? Help yourself. Be firm in that only you can help yourself. It is high time you look
deeper into your needs and help yourself. Help is not far. Help is within.
Did you know that the society has an age limit for a person to be employed, to have a home, and to
get married? They call you a burden or a failure if you reach a certain age while having not achieved
these possessions. Helping yourself will help you not be a burden. Lighten their load. Help yourself.
You become progressive if you help yourself. Helping yourself buys you a seat to sit with kings. King
David inherited this from his grandmother Ruth, as he sat with King Saul when he played a harp for
him. Helping yourself buys you a luxury not to stand in long queues. Helping yourself now, will allow
you to be able to afford the best help you can get in the future. I know great men who walked long
distances to school but today they afford a driver to drive them around. I know great women who
cooked, cleaned, washed, looked after their parents’ children, but today they can afford domestics
to help them in the house.
Ruth had servants. Ruth had started lower than the servants, but was able to progress to inherit the
same servants. She had a routine. She woke up and went to the fields, and worked hard. She was
kind to Naomi. She surrounded herself with people of her walk. But she helped herself. What is it
that you have done all by yourself? Most relationships fail because a person forgets that he is an
independent being, and relies heavily on the other party for happiness, security and safety, amongst
many. Help yourself. When last did you say “I did all this by myself?”
Nigel Marsh once said “If you don’t design your life, then someone else may just design it for you,
and you may not like the idea of balance”. What balance? There will be decision makers using your
ideas, because you did not design your life. Design your life. Ruth designed hers. Ruth helped herself.
Balance means the life of those who designed your life will live a better life than you. People will use
your skills and education to uplift themselves. Help yourself. Design your path how you will progress
from poverty to prosperity. Push yourself. Push your boundaries. Help yourself.
Help yourself with your health. In as much as wealth is important, health is equally important. Health
involves both the physical health and mental health. Balance between obtaining wealth and all
activities to maintain your health. You cannot chase after wealth sacrificing your health your whole
life, then when you are retired, you chase your health using all the wealth you have accumulated.
Balance the needs of yourself and that of your school, work or business. It is an undisputed fact that
if you take care of your business, it will also take care of you. Get rest. There is always some work to
do that can prevent you from sleeping. You may have to prepare for a meeting, modifying your
business plan, preparing your financial statements; etc. but you need to sleep normal hours. This
means sleeping about 8 hours a day. Enough sleep helps in brain activity such as memory,
concentration and creative thinking. You need these hours for effective sleeping, not that restless
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sleep whereby you are anxious about a business deal or something. Even though Ruth was waiting
for Boaz, she slept to get rest. This will obviously increase output and productivity. Getting rest may
also mean going for a holiday in a far place and leave everything behind. This will help you recharge
and come back rejuvenated.
If you overwork yourself, you will experience what is known as a burnout. Most businesses are
struggling because you or your employees are exhausted and have no creativity. Eat meals with
balanced diet. This includes both how much you eat and what you eat. You may eat a lot of food
and gain a lot of weight. Sometimes you will eat a lot of food yet these foods are just snack meals.
Your meals must include fruits and vegetables to gain vitamins and other nutrients such as proteins,
omega 3, vitamins B6 and B12, zinc, magnesium, copper and iron required by the body and mind of
the growing hustler. These foods include, but not limited to; nuts, broccoli, orange, pumpkin seeds,
coffee, fish and eggs. You must drink plenty of water. Water keeps you hydrated, flushes toxin in
your body, and helps digestion. Most people recommend meditation for 20-30 minutes. Meditation
is like a moment of silence where you focus on what you will do or have done. Meditation can be
done when you wake up or just before you sleep. They say meditation relieves stress and put your
mind in peaceful state. You must exercise. This may not be that formal as in going to a gym. I have an
App in my phone that records the number of steps I take a day. I usually take a walk of 10,000 steps
a day. Others use bikes. You must practice safe sex. Avoid substances such as alcohol, cigarettes and
drugs. Alcohol and cigarettes are written on their containers that they are dangerous for your health.
Live a healthy lifestyle! Don’t wait until you suffer from illnesses that you want to improve your
lifestyle. Have regular health check-ups. It’s always recommended that you consult about diet and
activities to improve your health. Have a hobby. It relieves a lot of stress. I like travelling, reading and
cooking. Try some sports such as tennis and golf. Try painting and art. Try music and concerts. Try
charity work. Visiting prisons and hospitals and making a difference in the occupants’ lives is so
therapeutically healing. You must be healthy in body and mind. A stressful mind cannot be
productive. You must bear in mind that stress and anxiety have long-term health problems. Laughing
is also a good medicine for relieving stress. Laughter helps stimulate many organs and will therefore,
help sooth tension. Go to stand-up comedy show. Watch funny videos on YouTube. Go out with a
friend whom you know has jokes and will make you laugh. Did you know that if you are happy in
your area of business, you will do things effectively? Be happy. Be happy about your daily progress.
Progress involves taking risks. You will be on your own. You will need to help yourself. Starting and
funding your business is taking the risk. Sometimes you will need to resign at work to pursue your
hustle. No-one will tell you to resign. You are on your own. No risk, no reward. We must warn each
other that taking risks mean calculated risks. Try something new. Don’t exaggerate the possibility of
failure and the results of failure. Steve Jobs took a risk to design an IPhone yet there were big brands
like Nokia and they were not doing well. He revolutionized what we already had. You must know
that you will fail. You will fail financially. You will fail with partners. You will fail with customers. You
will fail with your whole business. Do not be afraid of failure. Henry Ford, the founder of Ford
Motors, said “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” You will
learn from taking risks. You will help pick yourself up after you fail.
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Think of how many companies are now producing light bulbs because Thomas Edison helped himself
and invented one. Learn from failure. Begin again. Learn from rejection. Request again. Failure is not
the opposite of success, it is part of success. On your path you will fail. You will fail to meet deadlines
for business plan submission. You will fail to meet deadlines for delivery. A progressing person will
fail. Study what you failed. Search for why you failed. Why didn’t they buy your product or solicit
your service? What do you need to change? How do you fix your failure? Take risks. Take calculated
risks. Creativity and innovation cannot be seen without taking risks. You need to give people a new
perspective on how they viewed certain aspects. You will worry less about your competition if you
take risks. They will know you are leading with innovative ideas. You are dealing with people. People
are unpredictable. The most honest former colleague may not pay you. The most promising friend
can ask for quotations and choose someone else for the service. Ruth was rejected by one person
the family was certain he was the nearest kinsman redeemer.
Did you know that a person can put a pay you a deposit of R2 000 for the service you render of R10
000 and then hire someone else and leave you having cancelled people who have booked you for
that day? You will take a risk hiring someone who may destroy your business. You will take a risk in
training them. You will take a risk in trusting them. I have seen a lot of people starting their hustles
from the experience gathered from other hustles. Risking also means you need to keep training and
trusting, even if people are letting you down. You are helping yourself by helping them. Helping
yourself will make you different from others. People will know you can carry yourself. You will stand
out above your peers. Helping oneself differentiates between winners and losers. Helping oneself
differentiates between leaders and followers. Life is risk-taking. Life involves risk-taking. Life survives
because of risk-taking. Ruth helped herself by taking a risk to travel with Naomi. Ruth helped herself
by taking a risk to go to the fields of Boaz. Ruth helped herself by taking a risk to go to the threshing
floor where Boaz was after the harvest season. Ruth helped herself by taking a risk to go to the city
gates to hear about the outcome of her being redeemed by Boaz. Without risk there is no progress.
Without risk there is no success.
Jacob had worked for Laban for many years. He was now in a position to support his family; wives
and children. He discussed this with Laban and we learn that Jacob built his flock instead of
increasing Laban’s. He was working using his skills, talents, blessings, time and effort to increase
Laban’s flock and he realised that he would die with nothing and having not looked after his family.
Jacob took a position of uplifting himself. You may be an employee or business partner. This is saying
you must not neglect yourself and do everything attached to your employer or partner. Learn to
uplift yourself. Learn to help yourself. Ruth helped herself. Learn ways to increase your finances,
learn ways to push your own line of business, learn ways to invest, and learn ways to upgrade
yourself. You are in a position where your needs are growing. Your children are getting older. Your
bills are getting higher. Your lifestyle is more expensive. You need to increase your flock. You need to
build your flock. You may have worked so hard for that recognition, but where is salary advancement
or promotion? You are collecting certificates and trophy awards, but you also need financial
rewards. Why are you boosting other peoples’ establishments without growing yours? Refuse to be
in poverty while someone uses your efforts to be in prosperity.
Zacchaeus is known as the short man who climbed the sycamore tree to see Jesus. It is said that the
crowd was blocking his view and his movement. There are two conditions that Zacchaeus could not
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change: his height and the crowd. He could not see and he could not move to see his vision. What
did he do? He ran ahead and climbed the sycamore tree to see Jesus. His vision was to see Jesus and
maybe to sit with him. His vision was to be saved. He achieved all this. We are told that Jesus did
look up and saw Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus did not change his height and the crowd. Ruth did change her
condition as poor and foreign but she changed her position so that Boaz could see her. She worked
while others were not. She didn’t concentrate on obstacles but she helped herself to see her vision.
Your condition may be difficult to change. You may be an orphan or was involved in an accident. You
may seem to have many obstacles. Despite all obstacles, Ruth positioned herself by being noticed
and Zacchaeus by climbing a sycamore tree.
Position yourself. Help yourself. You may not need to change your conditions. Do not disturb the
crowd. What you need to understand about the crowd is that it is negative and wouldn’t want to see
you succeed. Run and climb your tree. Do not worry about the conditions you were born with. Let
them witness you seeing your vision. Find your tree to climb. Your tree will increase your height.
Your studies are your tree; your CV is your tree; your friends are your tree; and your business plan is
your tree. Climb your tree to see your destination. Ignore the obstacles. Run and climb your tree and
help yourself progress from poverty to prosperity. Who are you waiting for? Stop waiting for
someone else to come and change certain things in your life. Help yourself! Learn to start helping
yourself and those who are willing must be encouraged by your willingness.
Focus on yourself. Ruth would have easily went back home with Orpah. She was actually instructed
to do so. But she didn’t compare herself and understood she had her own path. Comparison and
competition make you feel less in what you do. Mostly people compare themselves with people who
had a better start than them. You cannot be a swimmer who has to ride two taxis to arrive to a pool
where you train and practice and compare yourself to someone who has all these facilities inside his
home. Others had inheritances to fund their businesses. People compare themselves with people
who started long ago. You have one book published, why do you compare yourself with renowned
authors? Learn from them! People compare themselves with people who are better than them. They
are good. Work on yourself. Improve yourself. Get better. Stay best. Learn not to compare yourself.
If you happen to compare yourself, it must be you to your previous self. If you happen to compare
yourself, it must be to what you achieved and what you expected. Do not compare yourself to
anyone. You do not need speed to be at the level of someone. You have your own timeline, path and
journey. Do not compare yourself to even your siblings, even if you know you grew under same
conditions. Be you. Do you. Accept yourself.
The daughter of Zelophehad helped themselves. They were told that the land would not be inherited
by women. They approached Moses and other people in authority. They challenged and changed the
status quo. They understood the importance of owning land in the quest of becoming wealthy. Ruth
changed the status quo as a foreigner who got married to an Israelite. She changed the status quo as
she was not redeemed by the nearest kinsman but by someone else. People hold on to cultures and
beliefs that are no longer relevant. They do not even know how these were adopted. They do not
challenge and change these. Everything started with someone, including the beliefs and cultures we
embrace today. You must be an agent of change. Most African girls grow up thinking education is
not important for them. Their parents raise them and prepare them to be someone's wife. I have
managed to start a campaign titled "Daughters Can Do Better". I am optimistic about my ideas to
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challenge and change the status quo. Learn to challenge and change. People now rely on computers
and phones to relay a message. The post office and a messenger are no longer that useful. People
like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were agents of this change. People now use e-books instead of printed
books. Jeff Bezos was an agent of this change. Challenge the solutions that are offered to some
problems. Offer better alternatives. Challenge the procedures followed by other people.
Ruth believed in herself. No-one must believe in you more than you. Believe in the sacrifices that
you have done. Believe in your abilities. Rely on your skills and experience. Sometimes you will
barely sleep because you want things to work out. Sometimes you will priorities your goals and lose
everything else. Believe in yourself. Pursue your dreams. Everything else can be obtained later. You
cannot lose yourself in the midst of failure. Have confidence in yourself. People believe in a person
who believes in himself. People will follow a person who is certain in leading. People will love a
person who believes he can also love. Believe in yourself. Have faith and hope in that what you are
doing will one day succeed. You must be enthusiastic about your ideas. Stop expecting people to
help you. Learn to help yourself. Stop hating people for not helping you. Learn to believe in yourself.
If you have succeeded, believe you deserve the right to be where you are. Do not allow people to
belittle you. You have worked hard. You have achieved. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can be a
source of inspiration for others. Believe you can help others realise their dreams. Ruth believed she
deserved to progress from poverty to prosperity.
Help yourself to do what winners do. Help yourself wake up in the morning. Help yourself to find
work. Ruth found work. Ruth helped herself by working hard. Winners have habits that allow them
to win. Ruth developed habits of winners such as waking up and working. Winners acquire skills that
will ensure they always win. You must research about winners in your field. If you are in Business;
learn from Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma etc. If you are in Sports; learn from Tiger
Woods, Lionel Messi, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, etc. Winners always see a possibility. Winners
print t-shirts written "Champions" before they even play the final game. Winners start with an end in
mind. They venture into business knowing how they are going to win. Winners never compete.
Winners stay in their lane. It's not about the other people in the fields; it's about them getting
better. It's about making sales. Winners improve on their weaknesses and turn them to strengths.
Winners work on getting better in their fields. If you teach and you are good with content and not
great with methodology, you must work on this. Winners never see failure or loss. Winners see
success and gain. Help yourself to know everything about winning.
Discover your values. You don’t need to experience break-ups or retrenchments to have time to find
yourself. Make time to find yourself. Don’t be satisfied by anything below what you aimed for. If you
are a student and wanted a level 7 for a certain course, don’t be satisfied by a level 6. You are level
7! Help yourself discover strengths to help you reach your target. You need to be in a place where
your strengths outshine your weaknesses. You need to be with people who rate your strengths
highly than your weaknesses. Hannah had prayer as her strength. She had power to speak her heart
to God even if the mouth was not functional. She had many problems but she told God about one
problem. She spoke to God about her womb. She asked God to open her womb. Write down all your
problems and identify one problem which is the main problem. Help yourself to get out of any
problem. Use your strength. Your strength is not to fight Peninnah. Your strength is not to stick to
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Elkanah and celebrate you are loved more than others. Your strength is speaking to your problem.
Speak solutions today. Speak solving today.
You may be required to help others. Do not be harsh and say you won’t help anyone because you
were not helped. You can help others, but do encourage them to help themselves. You are
financially free to help and give back to people who cannot help selves. You are financially free to
ensure that the next generations will never know poverty. Remember that Ruth was encouraged to
help herself whenever she was thirsty. People are thirsty for progress and success. Encourage them
to help themselves. Be encouraged to help yourself.
BE HUMBLE
Ruth 2:10a (i) Ruth fell at his feet

“Humble living does not diminish. It fills” Rumi
Ruth was humble. When Boaz showed kindness to her, she fell at his feet. This was a sign of
humbleness and submission. In Moab, we find Ruth and Naomi going back to the humblest
situations in Bethlehem. Being humble helped Ruth. God encourages us to be humble and He will lift
us up in due time. God lifted Ruth. God allowed the progress of Ruth from poverty to prosperity.
Being humble means, you don’t think you are better or important than other people. Your behaviour
and actions reflect being grounded. People may be born in a rich or privileged home. They may
acquire better education and jobs. People must be taught that humbleness goes a long way.
A humble person will always ask what he has done to deserve better treatment. We see Ruth asking
Boaz what she had done to deserve that treatment. An arrogant person always thinks he deserves
better treatment. Ruth had accepted the setback, and was willing to start life afresh in Bethlehem.
There are people who are willing to die in a certain condition or place because it makes them look
better, yet they are abused. Get out of the relationship, and accept the setback. Pride will kill or
make you killed.
Humble people share their prosperity. Ruth took the food to Naomi. You must be able to pull the
people up the ladder with you or be willing to look down and pull them up. Most people are helped
but once they are up there, it’s only them that matters. Awaken the humbleness in you. How many
people where you come from have you pulled up? Be it in the family, church, community or school.
Being successful does not make you king, to be bowed to, but you are still a human being and people
are still owed your respect.
No matter how knowledgeable and successful you are, there is someone better than you. Don’t let
humiliation humble you. You have a room to learn, you have a room to grow. Admit that you have a
long way to go and let others who have walked before you help you. Every human has limitations. I
have heard the humblest of soccer players, N’Golo Kante of Chelsea and France nationality,
admitting that he has a lot to learn. This is a player who was a Premiership player of the season in
two consecutive seasons with two different clubs and is a world cup winner. “I still have a long way
to go”. A great person is willing to bend.
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Let me be clear here, in life we pursue many things. We pursue knowledge. We pursue wealth. We
pursue happiness. We work hard and should be proud of every achievement we have earned. But
being proud of achievements can be done within humbleness. You can be proud yet humble. Success
must not go to your head, but to your knees to keep you grounded. Do not push people away, stay
humbled. Ruth never pushed Naomi. Her achievements involved Naomi; even the child, people said
“now Naomi has a son again.” Where are the people you grew up with? Where are the people you
studied with? Where is that partner who used to bail you financially? Where is your sibling that
bought you graduation outfit?
Others have not only abandoned people, but principles and values that allowed them privilege to be
successful. You used to pray, you used to make time for elders and your family and you used to chat
with wise old men. Can I ask you something? Are you aware that there is no-one who is successful in
all areas of life? You may have all the money on earth and with your pride. No man is an island. You
can’t be your own guest in your wedding. Stay humble.
Are you suddenly too important to enter the rondovel with fire where your granny used to cook? I
didn’t want to go this far, but here I am, proud people either isolate themselves or surround
themselves with people who are going to say yes to everything they say. Where are the people you
learn from? The reality is you will never grow if you surround yourself with people who are always
submissive. Ruth surrounded herself with harvest foreman, field owners like Naomi and Boaz,
because she wanted to be there! You can’t suddenly stop learning, it’s never enough. A millionaire
learns from a billionaire, a level 5 can learn from level 7. You need to learn more, you need to earn
more, and you need to share more.
There is a difference between being humble and humbled. Being humble is something that you are
even if you have achieved a lot and being humbled emanates from being swayed by circumstances.
It embodies loss on your part. Being humble is you going on your knees, and being humbled is you
being taken to your knees. This story illustrates this “there was a road accident where a pedestrian
who was involved, sustained minor injuries. There was this young guy in his jeans who tried to help.
And there was also a nurse that came in her own car. She pulled over. She invaded the scene and
was very rude to the young man in jeans, who was trying to help, claiming the young man must not
do what he didn’t know. She bandaged the pedestrian. Some people had already called the
ambulance. The paramedics came and thanked the nurse. They also happened to know the young
man who tried to help. He was a new doctor in the hospital. They greeted him as doctor and the
nurse was so humbled by the humble doctor.”
You cannot live in an island. God created us as a unit; to interact in love as partners, at work as
colleagues, at school as classmates, and in the community as neighbours. Everywhere you go, you
must interact with people; be it a shop, a toilet or a garage. People do not want to interact with
proud people. Even proud people avoid pompous people. Imagine working in a company where
there are proud people only! Personal glory! They claim credit for the entire job done. You cannot go
up in any ladder without help. Ladders fall and there must be people who are willing to hold the
ladder for you to climb. Introducing you to a friend, who later hires you, is holding the ladder. But
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once you are up, where is the pride coming from? Ruth had Naomi holding the ladder for her. It was
Naomi who took her to Bethlehem and Boaz was a relative to Naomi.
Ruth continued to ask what she has done to deserve all that. Ruth showed in action and words her
humbleness. She was a gleaner; poor by social standards, but she was willing to go further down. It
is so sad how poor people are so arrogant and for you to help them you have to pester them. Stay
humble, even with all your achievements! Humble yourself, and God will lift you up. Servants are
humble, with their great gifts and riches. Be humble. Stay humble.
Bezalel and Oholiab and other skilled craftsmen were gifted with wisdom and ability to perform
tasks involved in building the sanctuary. They were eager to work. They were in the position of
serving. Your gift and calling will allow you to work and earn a lot. You will progress from promotion
to promotion and be able to start your own business. Your gift will set you apart from others and
allow you to serve kings; as long as you are eager to serve. Do not wait to be served. We are all
called to be servants. We serve in different capacities but we are all servants. No servant is bigger or
better than the other, we are all called to serve. A petrol attendant or grocery packer is no less of a
servant than a school principal, unless the principal can pack his groceries. We are all gifted with
characters to serve. You must work hard to shaping your characters to be relevant as there is a shift
in taste and technology. Our purpose is to serve. We serve and get what we deserve. All servants
must be paid. All services must be honoured. Serve others so they learn the importance of doing
certain things right. Serve them to save and invest, to prioritize their health, to treat well those they
love, and to grow spiritually. We are called to serve. We are servants.
David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early in the morning with the gifts, as his
father had directed him. This is the already anointed David, but he was still submitting to his father
Jesse. Submission is used mostly in marriage, and it works well if both people submit to each other.
The issue here is; it becomes difficult to a person who doesn't submit to any person to be able to
submit when required at work, church or other people. Submission is human! Submission does not
reduce your promotion. It doesn't take away your position at work or church. You must understand
that you cannot go around carrying your position. You are a principal at your workplace and a son to
your father. Most people want their parents to submit to them because of the education provided
by their parents. The position of submission allows you to follow instructions to the latter. David set
out in the morning. He had also arranged that his duties of being a shepherd are executed by
someone else because he was still accountable for the sheep. You are still accountable. You are still
responsible. In that office, remember you are a son. In that board meeting, remember you are under
authority. Submit to all those you have to submit to, with all your success. Jesus knew that He had to
submit to John the Baptist.
Here are some of the characteristics of a humble person:
1. A humble person puts the needs of others first. Ruth gleaned so that Ruth could have food.
Ruth didn’t sort out her business first. Ruth thought of Naomi first. Humbleness helps you not
always making things to be about you. Humbleness teaches sacrifice. When she was coming
back from visiting Boaz in the threshing floor, she had to bring food to cater for Naomi.
Humble people understand the importance of building for others. The Shunamite woman built
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a house and furnished it for Elisha. Ruth added value to the life of Naomi. Ruth added value to
the fields of Boaz. Ruth added value to the life of Boaz. Ruth knew that credit should be given
to Naomi for bringing her to Bethlehem. Humble people share. There were four lepers who
were outside the camp in Israel. At the same time the Israelites were attacked by the
Arameans and the whole area was surrounded by the enemy. Those inside were dying of
famine. The lepers were outside camp; with the enemy. The enemy flee and left food. When
the lepers found food from the camp of the enemy, they were willing to share with those who
were inside. These were the very same people who placed them outside camp because of
their sickness.
2. A humble person does not boast. They become successful but you will never hear them
boasting about their accomplishments. They avoid a situation whereby people are focussed on
them. They have sufficient confidence in that they do not feel less if they are not mentioned.
They do not need any approval or recognition. Humble people do not show off their
qualifications. You will hear their friends boasting about “he is a doctor by profession” and he
will avoid such friends. Humbleness gives you displeasure if you are recognized far above
others. This must be clear though, humbleness doesn’t mean belittling yourself. You must still
know your strengths and weaknesses and your capabilities and limitations.
3. A humble person maintains relationships. Ruth maintained her relationship with Naomi.
Humble people have stronger relationships with former colleagues. Others may have been
retrenched but they maintain relationships with their former bosses. If they make it to
management, you will be able to note their humbleness when they involve everyone in
decision-making. Humble people continue helping friends and family that speak ill of them.
Humble people believe in inclusivity. They involve people of all races, genders, social status,
economic status and religion. Ruth and Naomi had so many differences but their humbleness
made them consider each other as people who could walk together towards a common goal.
4. A humble person doesn’t believe the world owes him something. People are so entitled! They
believe their parents or relatives owe them. They have concepts such as boyfriend allowances.
Humbleness teaches you that life owes you nothing. The truth is; you owe life. You are not
entitled to anything but you must offer the world something. People treat themselves as
victims and they like hand-outs. Humble people appreciate what they are given. They then
work hard to cater for their wants. Ruth was grateful for being in Bethlehem. Naomi didn’t
owe her anything. Boaz didn’t owe her anything. Life didn’t owe her anything. Ruth owed the
world Obed. She had to deliver Obed. Ruth owed the world the lesson that you can progress
from poverty to prosperity.
5. A humble person is always thankful. Humble people are always grateful for even minor things.
Ruth was grateful for water. Ruth was grateful for bread and drink. Ruth was grateful for being
allowed to glean better crop. Ruth was thankful. Be thankful. Be thankful for opportunities and
the potential of them becoming realities. Being thankful doesn’t mean all is well. We ought to
be thankful during poverty. Resources are scarce. Only a few people own resources. It’s not
about having enough, but about having something. It’s not about having it in abundance, but
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having something. Ruth was thankful for gleaning. A humble person is thankful for what he
has. A humble person is content. Humble people are grateful for life.
6. A humble person treats people with outmost respect. They serve people who are supposed to
serve them. John and Jesus, because of their humble nature, battled with the issue of who is
supposed to baptize who. They had respect for each other. Ruth and Naomi had respect for
each other. Ruth and Boaz had respect for each other. They were willing to serve each other.
Humble people have good manners. They approach people with respect and are always polite.
They respect the opinions of others. They don’t just throw words to flash their wisdom but
wait until they are asked to have an opinion. Humble people have respect for people who are
held at high esteem than them. You must not be hurt that other people regard someone to be
better than you. You must work hard for your progress from poverty to prosperity. Humble
people respect other people. They do not see themselves as better or as worse than others.
They don’t compare themselves with others. They rather take that time and continuously work
on getting better that their better selves. Humility says everyone has a value.
7. A humble person admires peace. Humble people are at peace with themselves and other
people. Humble people forgive people. Humble people learn to let go quicker than arrogant
people. Humble people are quicker to admit their wrongs and allow to be disciplined. Humble
people strive to be at peace than to be right. They enjoy relationships than realities. Being at
peace means you are slow to anger and quick to forgive. You must have a desire to be a
peacemaker. Peacemakers take responsibility for any misunderstanding. They don’t make
excuses or try to offer reasons. They apologize. The humble apologizes, admitting their faults.
We see this when Ruth slept in the feet of Boaz. The proud, instead of apologizing, they make
excuses and adversely blame the scapegoats. Be humble and accept the mistake, and learn
from it. Peacemakers do not judge. They look for solutions that would allow peace and
continuation to progress to prosperity. You will never receive prosperity if you are not in a
peaceful state. Prosperity requires peace.
8. A humble person listens to others. Ruth listened to Naomi. Ruth listened to Boaz. Ruth
listened. Humble people are always willing to gain new information. They listen because they
know that people have more valuable information that them. Ruth knew that Naomi
understood Bethlehem and Boaz better. She listened to her when she told her not to disturb
Boaz while he was eating and drinking. Ruth was interested in what Naomi was speaking
about. Listen to people. Seek information. You don’t have all the answers. Humbleness will
encourage you to even ask for help. Ruth didn’t only glean barley in Bethlehem; she also
gleaned knowledge and characteristics. Humbleness allows teachability. Humble people ask
questions and ask for help as they are willing to grow in knowledge. Listening means you
acknowledge that other people may know more than you do and you are interested in
knowing what they have to offer. Remember, it is not wise to speak while broken. We speak
out of the heart and your tongue may not be able to eliminate the bitter words.
9. A humble person follows others. Ruth followed a poor Naomi. Ruth didn’t follow possessions
but characteristics. You have to possess characteristics that will ensure your wealth stays. You
have to spend most of your time following a person from whom you are going to acquire these
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characteristics. A humble Ruth followed a poor Naomi but she ended up being rich. She
followed someone who prepared her first then followed Boaz who would make her wealthy. If
you want to be rich in the next 5 years, spend 4 years working on your character and 1 year on
acquiring possessions. Character includes humbleness, thankfulness, kindness, adapting
quickly, love, joy, honesty, peace, and loyalty.
10. A humble person is open-minded. Humble people are open to other people being better than
them. They know that other people may be wiser than them. They know that other people
may offer better solutions than them. It was pride of Naaman that made him say he will not
wash himself in Jordan to heal his leprosy because he knew better rivers. There are many
people who are sick today and they are not getting help because they are still waiting for
something better. There are many people who are stagnant in finances today, because they
think their methods are better. Intellectual pride is dangerous. Pray that you never reach a
stage where you think you are better than other people. Ruth had a teachable spirit. There is a
very thin line between self-confidence and pride. Humble people are willing to step forward
and try new things. They trust in the possibilities and the process.
11. A humble person is grounded. People are prone to arrogance. It is common that people get
wealth and be proud. No matter the gap between your wealth and other people’s wealth,
never allow room for arrogance. Be happy for your promotions at work but remain humble. Be
happy for growth in your business but remain humble. No matter how high you have climbed
the ladder, always make time to listen. Keep all your people around. The distance between
you and them must only be between bank balances. Don’t separate yourself from people. You
must rejoice with people you are thankful to. Ruth rejoiced with Naomi. Selflessness allows
you to rejoice with others. Humble people are grounded in that they ask for help. Asking for
help is not a sign of weakness. Being assisted is a sign of humility. Humility leads people to
celebrate God and pride leads people to celebrate earthly things like money and authority.
12. A humble person is not ashamed of what he has. Ruth was poor. Ruth was foreign. She went
to the fields to glean so that she could have food in her table and share that with Naomi. She
was not ashamed of not having possessions. Life is not about having possessions. Ruth had
Naomi who guided her to all the possessions. Ruth started out without a skill or experience in
the field. But she worked hard and that compensated for lack of knowledge. She was not
ashamed of lacking knowledge. The foreman spoke well of her but she remained humble and
said to Boaz I am just a foreigner, what have I done to deserve such kindness? She was not
speaking badly about herself so that they could praise her more. She was really humbled by
the gestures of the field owner. She saw herself unworthy of all the attention. Humble people
always ask what I did to deserve all this.
13. A humble person is patient. Ruth was patient as she waited for Boaz and the decision to
redeem her. Ruth was tolerant and waited without nagging Boaz. Humble people wait. They
send their CVs and business plans and wait. They know they may be rejected. They know there
may be mistakes and they are overlooked. They know they may fail. They wait and continue to
better selves. They know they have limitations and may not be considered for a certain
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vacancy. This allows people to work on their strengths and passions and start even businesses
along that.
14. A humble person looks for opportunities to teach him humility. Ruth went to glean in the fields
of Boaz as an opportunity to keep her humble. She remained under the guidance of Naomi as
she learned to be more humble. Humble people always want to make a good impression. They
do not brag. They do not outshine others. They are not derailed by being underappreciated. If
there are times in your life when pride seems to get better of you, you must turn away from
pride. Choose humbleness over and over. Look for opportunities that will reduce pride in your
life. Volunteer your time and money. Donate. Do not take pictures.
15. A humble person remains humble. Success does not change a humble person. There are
people are known to be humble yet they are not. They remain humble because of poverty. As
soon as they progress, they show people their true colours. As you increase in your
knowledge, may you also increase in humbleness. As you progress in all aspects for your life,
may you remain grounded. Whatever greatness comes your way, accept it with humbleness.
Sometimes things do not happen because of you, but other factors. Not everything that
happens to your life happens because you are. A humble Ruth understood that the treatment
was because of Boaz being a relative to Naomi. Remain humble all the time. It’s not easy to
humble yourself, particularly once you progress. Remain humble.
BE THANKFUL
Ruth 2:10a (ii) and thanked him warmly.

“A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles” Vicki Becker
Ruth thanked Boaz warmly. Being thankful means, you are able to see things with the eyes of the
person you are grateful to. They feel good, knowing they have made a difference in someone’s life.
Ruth had food in her stomach and was able to provide for her dependent. She was thankful. Being
thankful allows you to worry less about all the bad things coming to you. There is a saying that goes
“an umbrella does not stop the rain, but it allows you to stand in it”. Meaning that it makes you
stand in the most difficult conditions. Ruth was thankful.
Ruth was thankful to Boaz to learn what to do with the load. You must remember that Boaz was her
redeemer. Our Redeemer is known to have said that if you are weary of carrying the load of your
past, you must come to him and he will give you rest. Ruth had carried the load of being poor,
foreign and widowed. In the fields of Boaz, Ruth obtained rest. She learned what to do with the load.
At times you learn after you have progressed that you were carrying so much load. You learn after
submitting your Master’s thesis, your work report, you tax documents for the business, and playing
your parental role; that you carried a heavy load. Be thankful that you have people who help you or
teach you how to carry the load. Life is hard with loads. Debts are loads. Ungrateful people are
loads. We become weary with these loads. But be thankful they have not weighed you down.
When Jesus was about to wake Lazarus, he thanked God. We should be thankful even if what we
have asked for has not come to fruition. Ruth was grateful for what she had and for what was
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coming. She was grateful for being part of a successful harvest, to Boaz for speaking kindly to her
and the offer to drink water, but also for what was to occur; that is the marriage, child-bearing and
being a field owner.
I was once told that thankful people learn to see things positively and ignore anything negative. For
example, if they request R100 and you offer R50, they don’t see themselves as half-short but as half
way through. Be thankful for what you have. I was once asked to write a thankful list and I learnt
that there are so many things and people to be thankful for. Ruth thanked Boaz for the water, food
and better crops. What are you thankful for?
I am thankful for my parents and siblings. I am thankful for my children. I am thankful for all the
ministers of the Word who ministered to me. I am thankful for former colleagues and learners at St
Lewis Bertrand’s High School. I am thankful for friends. I am thankful for my role models and
mentors. I am thankful to Pastor G.V.E. Lunga for agreeing to edit and proof-read my first book,
Awaken the Ruth in You. I am thankful. Be thankful.
After being thankful, blessings were pouring on Ruth. There was marriage, there was birth, and there
was prosperity. Ruth taught me to be thankful. My progress depends on me being thankful. People
who are thankful open the windows of heaven for happiness and wealth.
You don’t need to be born thankful; it’s something you can learn. Learn to be thankful for even
minor things. Learn to say thank you every day. There was this learner at my school, when I was
handing out papers, she always smiled and said thank you, Sir. She came from a former model C
school and it showed they were taught and grew with it. It is very difficult for cultured learners to
say thank you. In African background there has been less to be thankful for, in that we did not have
“thank you” in our vocabulary. And it is wrong. “Thank you” has no culture. Let us teach our
daughters that to get out of poverty, we must learn to be thankful for every meal. Let us teach our
sons that to get out of gleaning, we have to learn to be thankful. People are collecting loaves and
slices and we are collecting crumbs of bread. We are struggling and have become bitter and cold
towards those who try to get out of poverty. Learn to be thankful.
We assume if an uncle helps you, there is no need to say thank you, because he is obliged. You are
not entitled! Be thankful. You will learn that the world is full of irresponsible adults and children who
cannot take care of those they are responsible for. If there is someone doing something for you, be
thankful. People no longer care for other people. People can hear you screaming onto the hands of
human traffickers, abusers, and car hijackers and offer no help. If you get help from anyone, be
thankful. People are in pain, and suffer through poverty and malnutrition. People are in pain and are
disappointed in marriages ending in divorce. Be thankful. If you are one of those in pain, be thankful
for life and hope that you will progress from pain to gain.
Be a responsible person and be thankful. I remember when Abel in the Bible gave God the best
portions of the firstborn lambs. He was blessed. He was gifted. God benefitted from that. Do you
give to God back what God gave to you? I know you understand that when I say give to God, but God
does not have an account? Give to the poor. The Bible says that if you are giving to the poor you are
lending to God. God always repays His accounts, with interest! Thank God.
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It has been documented that each and every time the Israelites were victorious; they would erect a
stone to commemorate what happened. There is Jehovah-Nissi and Ebenezer as commemoration
stones. The Israelites were taught well. Being thankful means, you are taught well, and it may be
self-teaching. They were taught well, to be grateful for every victory.
A thankful heart doesn’t mean everything is going well. Be thankful. When your colleagues come for
bereavement if you have lost someone at home, be thankful. Be thankful in grieving. Be thankful in a
loss. Be thankful in poverty. Be thankful in sickness. Say thank you. Ruth was still poor. Ruth was still
sonless. Ruth was still a widow. Ruth was still foreign. But Ruth was thankful. It is not wise to ignore
that things have been better for you (not best), and behave as if nothing happened. You must be
thankful that you saw the hand of God. 2020 has been, by far, the worst year for every human being
but we are thankful we saw the hand of God. We saw the hand of God shutting Noah in the ark and
we are told that Noah was safe and saved when everyone else who was outside didn’t make it. We
saw the hand of God in 2020. We saw the hand of God that shut the mouths of the lions when
Daniel was in the lions’ den. We saw the hand of God that opened the Red Sea. We saw the hand of
God that pushed the River Jordan. We saw the hand of God that collapsed the walls of Jericho! We
are thankful to God. Businesses were closed. Jobs were lost. But God sustained us. We are thankful.
Psalm 30:11 that says God turned my mourning into joyful dancing. This sums it all. A widowed Ruth
was mourning. A foreign Ruth was mourning. A poor Ruth was mourning. A gleaning Ruth was
mourning. And she knew things were about to change from mourning to joyful dancing. A married
Ruth would dance. A native Ruth would dance. A field owner Ruth would dance. Why a wealthy Ruth
wouldn’t dance? Be grateful for the dance.
Being thankful is the only appropriate response to people who have been good to you, and to those
who have been bad to you. Joseph’s brothers were bad to him when they sold him to the Ishmaelite
but it turned out good, and he was thankful. Haters and enemies are going to push you. They are
going to try and destroy you and that is your ladder to take you up. Be thankful for the ladder. Judas
took Jesus to the cross, and Jesus won! Delilah took Samson to the pillars, and Samson won!
Joseph’s brothers took Joseph to the hole, and Joseph won! Your enemy is taking you to your
promotion. Be thankful.
Be thankful for your growth. If you are assessing yourself, what is it that you are comparing? You are
comparing expected with actual. Ruth assessed her progressed when she was invited by Boaz to
harvest. If you had targeted to sell thirty shoes a month, how far are you? If you had targeted to
collect R8 000 a month, how far are you? After asking yourself so many questions, you have one last
question to ask: are you progressing? Since you started from humble beginnings, how far are you?
Since you took a vow to help yourself, how far are you with your commitment to that? How good is
your decision-making towards your growth? Since you know there is no safe idea, are you taking any
risks and are they giving you any rewards? How is your financial situation? Are you still firm in your
founding beliefs? How far have you come from your start? Ruth started as a gleaner. Have you
reached the break-even point? This means a point whereby the costs that you started the business
with have been recovered and you are about to make profit. Be thankful for the progress.
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How far are you with your vision? I am not yet closer to achieving what Grasshoppers Shoe Company
has achieved but I need to evaluate how far I am with my shoe business. Celebrate your small
beginnings. You may have started to sell in open space, now you have a small shack. You have three
points of reference here: where you started, where you are and where you want to be. How close
are you to your goal? Even small wins must be celebrated. If you wake up to sell twenty shoes and
you sell four on that day, you have done something. Be able to handle uncertainty. In actual fact, we
must break down large tasks to smaller tasks. Set small daily targets. You must have a big diary to
capture what transpired during the day. The diary will help you write tasks and appointments. You
will also note that you have honoured them and note any setbacks. Remember, it is not about
perfection but progress. We are thankful for progress. It is about getting out of poverty. It is about
getting out of Egyptian slavery. It is about getting out of Babylonian captivity.
Progress should include what kept you going when things got tough. A focused person would answer
this by saying the runner keeps his eyes on the finish line. Keep your eyes on the prize. What is your
prize? My prize is to be an owner of a shoe manufacturing industry and come up with my designs. It
encourages me. It keeps my hustling live. What keeps your hustling alive? One farmer told me “I
wake up because every season I need to work. If I am not tilling the soil, I am planting; if I am not
planting, I am irrigating; if I am not irrigating, I am pulling out weed; if I am not pulling out the weed,
I am harvesting.” If you are progressing you will be able to accelerate your learning, take more
informed decisions, communicate effectively with other people, know if your strategies are working
or not and know whether to continue having higher expectations.
Ruth learned from Naomi to be thankful. Naomi was old and couldn’t bear sons but was thankful to
Ruth for giving birth to a son. The wife of Phineas was pregnant and near her time of delivery. She
heard that the ark of God has been taken; she went to labour and gave birth. She died in childbirth.
While she delivered the baby, she lost her life. She lost life while bringing life. That is what the birth
of dreams may do to a person. It may wear you out. It may compromise your health. But you need to
deliver new life. She never got to see the life she delivered. Naomi was thankful to have delivered
Ruth to Bethlehem. Though she was no longer able to give birth, she knew that Ruth was capable.
Keep pushing; this is for the sake of your generations. You are the last generation of poverty. Push
harder, so that they will live. You may not get to see the dreams and visions you worked for being
delivered. You may plant a tree and its fruit and shade is enjoyed by your children. You may work for
years and your pension fund becomes inheritance for your children. Hebrews 11 speaks of heroes of
faith, who never received on earth what they were promised. They went through pain. You may not
make it through pain. But you would have delivered. Push, there is new life coming! You can't die
without the new life being delivered. Leave a name and identity for the new life. There will be
continuity, as the people left will soldier on with your dreams and visions on their shoulders.
David was thankful to God when he wrote "The Lord is my Shepherd". This David who was chased by
enemies and God protected him. This David was now no longer chased by enemies but goodness
and mercy. In this position, David was not asking for anything, but he was thankful. He is blessed. He
is favoured. Take your time to appreciate all you have. Appreciate people who have contributed
positively to your life. Appreciate the gifts and skills that have allowed you to provide for your
people. In the position of appreciation, you don't question what you don't have. You may not be
there yet, but appreciate that you are given time and opportunity to set goals, monitor and measure
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your progress. Be appreciative of those who don't give up on you with all your visions and dreams. In
the position of appreciation, you appreciate the overflowing of your cup in one or many aspects.
There is abundance. There is overflow in finances, wealth or relationships. Appreciate! In the
position of overflow, you don't boast! It is not a position of pride. It is not a position of self-
appreciation. It is a position where you humbly acknowledge that you wouldn't do it without those
people or attributes. It is a position where you don't ask anything but you appreciate and
acknowledge it was not your efforts.
What are you thankful to God for? These are some of the things you should be thanking God for:
1. He is good. God is a refuge when trouble comes. Being close to the goodness of God makes
you good. Ruth was good. God gives rain and sun. God created the heavens and earth. God
satisfies you with good things.
2. His love endures forever. God loved the world that He gave His only son to redeem everyone
who would believe in Him. God love people while in their sins and invite them to come as they
are. God doesn’t compare people and loves all. He doesn’t credit you and discredit others. He
doesn’t take your victory to be better than the victory of others. People of earth celebrated
the victory of David more than the victory of Saul. They even made a song. God loves all.
3. He performs glorious miracles. God paved a way in the Red Sea for the Israelites and they sang
the song of thanksgiving. In that song they mentioned that He deals with boasting enemies, He
is a warrior, He is glorious in power, and He has given them glorious victory. God raised the
daughter of Jarius from dead. God raised Lazarus from the dead. God gave life to scattered dry
bones.
4. He redeems you from your enemies. God redeemed individuals and tribes from their enemies.
He raised great men and women who would fight the enemy and win. God raised Jael, the
woman who killed Sisera. God raised Ehud, the man who killed Eglon. God raised Ruth to look
after Naomi. God will raise people who are going to take care of you.
5. He rescues you from your distress. Many people are lost and homeless. They had no food and
they are thirsty. If they cry, God will rescue them from their distress. He satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things. God is in control. God heals diseases. God redeems your
life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.
6. He protects. Some work in the deepest seas to be able to trade around the world. People are
working in dangerous jobs such as being a police, health worker, pilot, driver, and soldier; and
God protects them and they come back safe.
7. He answers. There are many prayers that were answered in the Bible. God answered Jabez
when he asked God to increase his boundaries. God answered the Israelites in Egypt and set
them free. God will answer you. God hears your voice and your prayer for mercy. His mercy is
everlasting. Continue praying. God bends down to listen to your prayer. Pray without ceasing.
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8. He provides. God provides us with all the resources we have on earth. Jesus always thanked
God for providing food. There were feasts that were meant to celebrate the provision and
grace of God. The Israelites would gather to thank God. He has provided you with wisdom,
income, love, and many things. Be thankful for providence. God travelled before Ruth to
Bethlehem. God travelled before Ruth to the fields of Boaz. God travelled before Ruth to the
threshing floor. God travelled before Ruth to the gates. God travels before you to that
interview or presentation. God provides security and protection for you.
9. His hand saves. God raised His hands and the earth swallowed the Egyptians in the Red Sea. He
used His hand to shut in Noah in the ark in the days of floods. He shut the mouth of lions in the
den when Daniel was put in the den to be eaten by the lions. This hand of God was harsh to
the Philistine and they returned the Ark of the Covenant. The hand of God removed the stone
in the tomb of Jesus. You have seen the hand of God in many instances in your life.
10. He makes you strong. These are the words of Hannah. God made a woman who had a closed
womb to say I am strong. God made her to have an answer for her enemies. People were
asking her when she is going to conceive. Hannah now had an answer. You will also have an
answer in due time. God will make you strong in your poverty. God will make you strong in
your mourning. God will make you strong in your gleaning. The effort you put daily will give
you big rewards that will answer those who ask what you do for a living. God will make you
strong. God arms you with strength.
11. All circumstances. Be content. Even in difficult circumstances, we thank God for the strength
to endure it. We hope in His words that all things work together for the good. Ruth was still
grieving, but was thankful. Ruth was still a widow, but was thankful. Ruth was still poor, but
was thankful. Being thankful is not about the situation. Being thankful is about the relationship
you have with God. We don’t thank Him for the absence of difficulties, but for His presence in
difficult times. We noticed Him in the furnace with the three men in Babylon. We noticed Paul
and Silas worshipping Him in prayer while they were in jail. Peter wrote to us that we need to
thank Him even in grief and all kinds of trials.
12. He keeps the secrets of the kingdom from the wise and reveals them to the poor, the ignorant
and the obscure. God revealed the secrets of the kingdom to Ruth. God revealed the secrets of
the kingdom to Naomi. God reveals the secrets to the humble. Paul wrote to Timothy that in
the last days there will be very difficult times. He further said that during these last days
people will be ungrateful. Learn to say thank, least we false prophesy that it is the last days.
Ruth was thankful. She knew that people were not obliged to be nice to her. Do away with the belief
that people are obliged to do things for you. No-one owes you anything. If they do something for
you, learn to be thankful. Be thankful for life. Be thankful for family and friends. Be thankful for
employment and business opportunities. Be thankful. Being thankful doesn't mean everything is
going well. Even in your loss and failure, be thankful for the opportunity. Be thankful even if
circumstances are against you. Be thankful even if something has not happened yet. I am thankful
for a pass in my studies. I am thankful for the promotion at work. I am thankful for funding availed
for my business idea. I am thankful. I am thankful to people and circumstances. They pushed me. I
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am thankful to critics and haters. I am thankful. Thankfulness open doors that were closed, recreates
what was destroyed, revives what was fading, and also resurrects what was dead. Be thankful for
closed doors. Be thankful for rejections. Be thankful for experiences. Be thankful for lessons. Learn
to be thankful for every situation. Being thankful will keep your heart grounded. Be thankful for all
circumstances. Being thankful will eliminate arrogance and being self-centred.
As part of the research for writing this book, people were asked ten things they were thankful for.
Here is the list of the ten things most people were thankful for:
1. Life. Waking up every morning, they say, is worth their thankfulness. Having life and life in
abundance. Life is a gift. Life is a blessing. Everything else can only happen if we still have life.
Where there is life, there is hope.
2. Faith. Faith is renewed every day and gives strength to continue with journey of life. Faith to
press on as there are trials and tribulations daily. Faith that all will work out well in the end.
Faith increases. You may start with little faith. Peter started walking on the water with his little
faith. He walked for a distance before losing focus. That little faith took him steps away from
where he was. That little faith took Ruth away from Moab. That little faith took her away from
the house of Naomi to the fields of Boaz. That little faith took her away from the house of
Naomi to the threshing floor of Boaz. Have little faith.
3. Finances. Finances provide food. Finance provides shelter. Finance provides clothes. Finances
provide transport. All the needs and wants are provided by finances. People are grateful for
finances. These are from work or business or others are provided as beneficiaries. Finances are
able to start business. Finances buy all the equipment needed to provide service.
4. Friends and family. For having kind family members and friends who are kind enough to be
there for them in the hour of need. Celebrations with loved ones. Spending time with loved
ones. Being able to help loved ones. Love, acceptance, encouragement and forgiveness from
family and friends. Some have found family and friends at work and church.
5. Good health. People are thankful that they are healthy. It’s something to wake up alive, but
it’s something else to have good health. They are able to walk and work. Their families are
healthy. They are thankful for health and healing. Good health involves physical and mental
health.
6. Home. A shelter is important. It keeps us safe and warm. It gives us protection and a sense of
belonging. People are thankful for affording their homes. No matter how small, home is home.
7. Wisdom. The ability to discern between wrong and right. Wisdom helps people to run away
from trouble. They are able to differentiate between good friends and bad friends. Wisdom
gives a freedom to choose. People are grateful for financial wisdom and other forms of
wisdom.
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8. Skills and talents. The knowledge and the wisdom that comes from the skills and talents they
have, makes them grateful. They are able to solve life problems and others are earning a living
with these skills and talents. They are called psychologists, health workers, educators,
engineers, accountants, economists, etc. Education guides people to make sound decisions.
9. Peace of mind. People have learned to prioritize peace. People are happy with a simple life
with silence. Simplicity and silence are good for mental health. Stress is dangerous for mental
health. People want complete peace of mind and if they get it, they are thankful. Walk away
from people who oppose peace. People are thankful for not allowing anything to disturb their
peace of mind.
10. Growth. People are thankful for progress and promotions. This means advancement in salaries
and benefits. People are growing at work and their businesses. People are being recognised at
work with awards. Ruth was thankful for this growth. Ruth was thankful for this progress. Ruth
was thankful for this promotion.
I AM A FOREIGNER
Ruth 2:10c “I am only a foreigner”

“In America, I am a foreigner because of my Korean heritage. In Asia, because I was born in America,
I am foreigner. I am always a foreigner” Margaret Cho
Bethlehem was a small town; therefore, everyone could notice a foreigner. Ruth in Bethlehem was a
foreign woman. Boaz was kind to her and she was trying to reason why Boaz was kind to her,
because she was only a foreigner. She was clear on that and this made her to be able to understand
that the poor and foreign were allowed to glean. Both Ruth and Naomi were poor but gleaning
needed hard work. Naomi was old, thus, we hear Ruth saying “let me go to the fields”.
We are foreigners in this world and we have a home with our Father. We are foreigners and we
should be heard saying “let me go to the fields”. Being a foreigner means you are staying in a place
where you were not born and it is temporal arrangement. We were not born of this world. We were
created in the heavens. We are foreigners. I am a foreigner. Ruth was foreigner for a shorter period.
We are foreign for a shorter period.
Being in a foreign land must ground you, but it must not silence the song in you. In Psalm 137 the
Israelites were captives in Babylon and they were asked to sing their hymns. They were known to be
good worshippers and singers. But they said they couldn’t sing in foreign land. I don’t know about
them but I would sing in a foreign land. I would let them know how God has been my strength in my
weaknesses. I am an alien indeed, I am a wanderer indeed, I am a foreigner indeed, but that will not
silent a song in me. My citizenship is in heaven. We acknowledge we are foreign, and that our stay
here on earth is temporal. What you must be clear about is that in foreign land you must sing the
song of your native land. As they sing about health, finances and relationships; you sing about
spiritual growth. As they concentrated on gleaning as poor people, Ruth was working hard to
progress from poverty to prosperity.
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There are benefits of being foreign. I will outline some of the foreign activities that occurred to
people who knew they were foreign:
1. When Abraham was a foreigner in Egypt, he received gifts such as sheep, goats, cattle,
donkeys, camels and servants. Also, when Pharaoh took Abraham’s wife, God sent terrible
plagues. God fights on your behalf in a foreign land. Ruth had chosen the omnipresent God,
and God would fight on her behalf. And Ruth did receive the greatest of gifts in a foreign land;
marriage. Receive all in the foreign land. Allow God to fight for you.
2. Isaac was a foreigner in Gerar but he received a message to stay and God said that I will be
with you and I will bless you. The blessings are to be received here, on foreign land. Ruth did
receive her blessings on foreign land. To glean was a blessing, to harvest was a blessing, and to
own the field was a blessing. That low-paying job you have is a blessing; the promotions will
come. The love life will result in marriage. You will be blessed. In this foreign land.
3. Jacob sent a message to his brother that he was living in a foreign land, for safety. The foreign
land must ensure safety. Ruth was indeed safe. We are supposed to be safe too in this foreign
land. We now live in a land where being a female is not safe, being a church member is not
safe, and seeking employment is not safe. Daughters, infants and grannies are raped. Our
children are not safe from drug-abuse; and they are not safe from scams and fraud. We pray
to be safe in this foreign land.
4. Joseph had visions and dreams in a foreign land of his father, Canaan. Joseph also gave birth
to Ephraim in Egypt and Ephraim means “God has made me fruitful in the land of my grief”. A
widowed Ruth had a dream of taking care of Naomi, and she had a vision of being a wife then.
In a foreign land of Bethlehem. She gave birth. We are foreigners. We must have visions and
dreams and also see them fulfilled.
Joseph exercised self-control in foreign land. The wife of his master wanted to sleep with him
but he refused. Lust destroyed the house of David. David had lust for money, power and flesh.
He saw the wife of Uriah taking a bath on top of the roof and he sent for her to come to his
courts.
Ruth exercised self-control in the threshing floor and waited for the correct procedure and
moment to do things. Naomi had lost a husband and sons but always controlled herself
around Ruth. Jesus controlled himself around his disciples when he received a message about
Lazarus being sick. Self- control involves actions and words. Self-control means whatever you
feel, you must control it. You may feel angry; but exercise self-control. You must know the
emotions may be for a time being but other reactions may have permanent implications.
5. When the Israelites were in foreign land of Egypt, there are plagues that didn’t reach them but
were meant for the Egyptians. When God sent darkness, there was light at Goshen where the
Israelite stayed. Every gleaner worked to get a meal for that day, but Ruth was being favoured
by Boaz. She received favour to get more crops. She received favour to eat bread and have a
drink. She was even allowed to help herself whenever she felt thirsty. There is light in Goshen.
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Other people may be struggling to get their next meal; you are able to get yours. They may be
struggling with Mathematics but you are doing well. There is a light in Goshen.
God had a law written on Leviticus 19:33-34 “Do not take advantage (mistreat) foreigners who live
among you, treat them as native-born, and love them as you love yourself.”
God says love foreigners as you love yourself.
Foreigners must acknowledge that they are foreign and receive the hospitality that goes with being a
foreigner. They must not act native and take control of foreign land. They should not take advantage
of love given by people in their land. They should not steal from citizens. They must not sleep with
women of citizens. They must not enslave their children. Foreigners must receive love from natives.
Being foreign does not allow you to be comfortable and do wrong things. We have heard of
foreigners impregnating women, involved in crimes such as rape, prostitution, cash in-transit heist,
ATM bombing, child trafficking and drug dealing. On the 17 th of September 2019 Ediozi Odoi was
sentenced 129 years plus 6 life sentences. He is a Nigerian national who was sentenced in South
Africa for human and drug trafficking and prostitution. A foreigner who infringed! Ruth as a foreigner
enjoyed within the boundaries of the hospitality afforded by Boaz.
Ruth says “I am only a foreigner”.
Ruth was foreign. It qualified her. She had an advantage. You have an advantage. Leah had an
advantage; she had eight out of twelve sons of Jacob in her name. She had an advantage. Ehud was
left-handed and it was an advantage to him. He was able to hide his knife on the right thigh and the
soldiers did not search him there (it is said that soldiers searched the left thigh because they
assumed everyone to be right-handed and it would be easier to pull the knife from the left thigh).
Ehud killed King Eglon. He was left-handed, he had an advantage. It may seem a disadvantage that
you are disabled, that you are unemployed, that you are divorced, that you are in prison, that you
are in hospital; but it’s not. There is advantage attached to it.
There are breakthroughs for people with certain characteristics and this may qualify you and you
succeed. Do you curse God when you are disabled and there is a job willing to pay you R40 000 plus
benefits per month and you are considered for the job based on that you are disabled? Do you curse
God for a divorce when you get a divorce settlement of R2m and you start a business? The
foundation to anything you have depends on how you perceive what is thrown to you. Your start,
your foundation, your beginning; all depend on this. Wipe the tears and go to the fields. You are a
foreigner; you have an advantage.
What are your advantages? Build your foundation on them. I am an author; I will write to people. He
is a business person; he should sell to people. She is a lawyer; she must go to court and let justice
rule. You are a foreigner. You have an advantage. Wake up the advantage within you. Awaken the
foreigner within you. You are a foreigner.
I am a foreigner.
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Sometimes you will be separated from your people for your progress. Ruth was not going to
progress like this in Moab. She was separated from this place for her growth. Ruth was separated to
foreign land. This happened to Moses, Elijah, Joash and even Jesus. Joash remained hidden for six
years as he was separated from Athaliah who was a queen, murderer and greedy for power. Joash
was next in line for king, but he remained separated. Moses remained separated in Midian for 40
years. Elijah remained separated in Cherith and Sarephath. These people had gifts and talents and
had positions, but remained hidden. Once you are separated you know you are next in line, but also,
the conditions are not yet conducive. It's not yet time to appear. Remain hidden with your talents
and gifts. The crown will wait for you, be safe and secure first.
Be careful; being in separation does not mean completely cutting off people. The people in the town
of Laish had a peaceful and fertile land. They lived far from others and had no allies nearby. They
were attacked and no-one was there to rescue you. Separation means you connect with people but
there are issues that remain confidential. Your next step is confidential. People who are close to you
may kill you for your progress. Be careful. Separation is not isolation. Separate yourself for your
growth. Separate yourself to avoid discouragements and other negativities. Separate yourself as you
gather more strength to serve at your post. Ruth was in foreign land being prepared to serve as a
prosperous wife of Boaz.
Everything was restored after a foreigner became the wife of Boaz. After his father's death, Uzziah
rebuilt the town of Elath and restored it to Judah. He restored this town to its place. Ruth restored
the benefits of the land redeemed by Boaz to Naomi. Ruth restored a son to Naomi. Bring back
things to their position. Bring back people to their position. There may be wrong people in right
positions. There may be right people in wrong position. Restore people to where they will be
effective. Restore the dignity of those who had lost it through humiliation and mockery. Restore the
dignity of those who had lost it through retrenchments and unfair dismissals. Restore the image of
those who had been subjected to victimization. Comfort those who had misfortunes and promise
that God will restore what they lost.
In restoring, you cannot put the cat and the rat in the same place. Restore factory settings. In the
position of restoration, you notice that someone cannot function out of position. The condition on
earth is that there are people who are not effective because they are used out of qualifications and
experience. The government is not effective, the church is dysfunctional, and the community is
crippled. Restore love and peace, humility and obedience, thankfulness and kindness, connection
and courage, safety and protection, optimism and positivity, hope and faith, compliance and
discipline, and truth and justice.
God even allowed foreigners to partake in burnt offerings. This is because God extends His love to all
who will trust in Him. Ruth trusted in God. Ruth had faith in God. She had faith in God while she was
in Moab. Remember, it is impossible to please God without faith. She had faith that God prepares
you. She had faith that God prepares you according to His plan. She had faith that God prepares you
according to His plan for His purpose. And most of the preparations included a plan of taking you to
a foreign land. God took Joseph to Egypt. God took Moses to Midian. God had just taken Naomi to
Moab. His plan may mean relocation but it has protection. She was from Moab and the Moabites
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had treated the Israelites harshly under King Eglon. But God protected her. She found favour from
every Israelite. His plan may mean gleaning but it has cleaning. No man would want to have a
relationship with a Moabite woman as per the laws, yet Ruth was already Israelite as she was a
widow of an Israelite. Ruth had faith in God as she boldly said I am just a foreigner.
1. Faith guided Ruth to foreign land: Faith guided Abraham when he left home to go to another
land, which was foreign to him. Abraham prospered in Egypt and he later prospered in Gerar.
As much as Ruth was with Naomi for directions to Bethlehem, faith guided the courage of
Ruth. Naomi was discouraged. She was not even pleased when she was greeted by people in
Bethlehem. We are told that the entire town greeted her and she was bitter. Remember, faith
is the assurance about the things we cannot see. Faith made Ruth see herself prospering in
Bethlehem. Be assured of your progress. Be assured of your victory. Have faith.
2. Faith guided Ruth to the correct field: Ruth woke up and had no particular field to go to. She
said she will glean where the owner finds favour in her. Faith guided her to the correct field.
She was in the field of their relative. Remember, hope is the confidence that what we hope for
will actually happen. Faith of a foreign woman guided her to the correct field. Your faith will
guide you to the correct career. Your faith will guide you to correct relationships. Have faith.
3. Faith guided Ruth to bring food to Naomi: Faith guided Abel to bring a more acceptable
offering to God. Ruth offered food to Naomi. We learn that whatever we offer human beings
on earth, it’s like giving to God. Remember, faith earns you good reputation. It is this
reputation that allowed Boaz to say he knew what Ruth had done for Naomi. Your faith will
guide you to earn good reputation at work or in business. Your faith will earn you good
reputation in all aspects. Have faith.
4. Faith guided Ruth to conceive a child: Faith guided Sarah to have a child at old age. Ruth,
though not at old age, conceived a child in foreign land. Just as the great nation would be born
through the son of Sarah, the great king would be born of Ruth. Your faith will allow you to
conceive. Your faith will allow you to give birth. You will give birth to financial stability, love
and peace. You will give birth to prosperity. Have faith. You will give birth to persistence. The
gentile woman who had a sick daughter persisted because she had faith. Have faith.
5. Faith guided Ruth to have a belonging: Faith guided Moses to command the people of Israel to
sprinkle blood on the doorposts and say they belonged. They created a belonging. They
showed they belonged together. Ruth created a belonging in foreign land. She belonged with
Naomi. She was safe with Naomi. She shared a meal with Naomi. Remember, God rewards
those who have faith. Let prosperity be your reward. Let stability be your reward. Have faith.
6. Faith guided her to progress from poverty to prosperity: Faith guided the Israelites as they
went through the Red Sea on dry ground and to march until the walls of Jericho collapsed.
Ruth had faith that whatever was a stumbling block to her progress; God would allow her to
walk through it. She walked through all the tests and passed. Remember, faith allows you to
be warned about things that have not yet happened. Who would have known that by
marching seven times around the walls, the walls of Jericho would fall! Have faith.
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7. Faith guided Ruth to an increase. Ruth lived in abundance even in her time as a gleaner. Boaz
allowed her to get more crops. Her faith allowed for an increase. Faith allowed Jesus to feed
5000 men in addition to women and children with five loaves and two fish. There were
leftovers. If you have faith, everything you touch increases. Your faith will allow you to have an
increase in all your investments. Ruth was hungry for an increase. Have faith.
8. Faith guided Ruth to believe the impossible. Ruth arrived with a bitter mother-in-law. One
would have never thought that Ruth would allow her mother-in-law to hold a son in her arms.
It happened. Faith made the impossible to be possible. The man who had sent for Jesus to
come and heal his servant felt he didn’t qualify to host Jesus in his house. Jesus had come to
heal his servant. This man said Jesus doesn’t need to come to his house but can just send the
word and the servant will be healed. People were used to being laid hands. But through faith,
we see a man being healed by sending a word. Faith calmed the winds and waves. Faith moves
mountains. Have faith.
9. Faith guided Ruth to permanency. Ruth had a stable life. Ruth had a permanent belonging.
Ruth had a permanent inflow of income. Ruth had a permanent relationship. Gleaning and the
food were obtained temporally. The Israelites received temporal bread from heaven but there
is permanent bread with which you will never be hungry again. There is permanent water that
whoever drinks the water will never thirst. Ruth received all this permanently. Have faith.
Ruth said I am just a foreigner. But she never isolated herself or felt isolated. King David later wrote
in one of his psalms that he was a foreigner in his own family. You would remember that David was
never even considered by his father when Samuel came to anoint a king in that house. We are told
that the father had called all sons and it was upon Samuel insisting, that they said there is one but he
is in the fields watching the sheep and goats. David and Ruth felt being foreigner meant they were
not even worth the positions they were considered for. This allowed them to work as twice. It
allowed them to listen as twice and learned. It allowed them to remain humble as twice and they
were elevated. Saying I am just a foreigner was a humble statement to Ruth. Be humble in your walk
as you acknowledge every step people take to help you progress from poverty to prosperity.
When they said they are foreigners, they were saying they are not worth being considered. What is
humbling is that they were considered. They were not worth being considered. You are not worth
being considered for:
1. Relationships: Appreciate what your partner is doing for you. Appreciate what your parents,
siblings, and children are doing for you. Appreciate what your church mates, colleagues, and
neighbours are doing for you. The efforts people are putting for you are great. Be appreciative.
Modern life makes it difficult for a partner to take care of all your needs. Sex and
communication are neglected. Small talks and laughing together are neglected. Appreciate
that your partner is trying during these times. Modern times are fast and people have no time
for other people. People have time for their phones. They rather appear in social media than
in their relationship. Appreciate a partner that makes you laugh, as this helps deal with stress
and anxiety.
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2. Work or business: Appreciate that you were considered for a job interview and go and do well.
Work upgrades your resume. Work will allow you to gain experience. Work allows you to
create a professional image. Work gives you an opportunity to build a network. Appreciate
that you were considered for business funding and grow from strength to strength. There are
many people who apply for what you approved for. Like Ruth, be humble and ask what you
have done that makes them consider you. Appreciate that you have business ideas. Be glad
that these ideas can be implemented. Your feasible study on the business is saying the
business can be done (achievable), it can last (durable), and it can be sustained until it makes
profit (affordable). Appreciate that you have resources and knowledge of market. Appreciate
that people are buying from you. Appreciate that there is growth; that there is revenue and
you are better than your competition. Business has been hard in the past years and if you are
considered, you must appreciate and humbly ask what you have done to deserve such
attention.
Ruth was acknowledging who she was. Ruth was a Moabite in Bethlehem. Ruth was foreign. Ruth
knew that a Moabite person was not allowed be part of a congregate of the Israelites. Ruth knew
she married an Israelite in Moab and she was willing to lower herself in Bethlehem. She knew that
God was still working in small details and in His timing. God would uplift her in His timing. In His
timing, they received the news in Moab that there is food in Bethlehem. In His timing, they were
greeted by people of Bethlehem. In His timing, Ruth said I am going to the fields. In His timing, Ruth
knew she was a gleaner. In His timing, Ruth was told she could come back to stay with the harvesters
for the entire harvest season. You need to acknowledge who you are. It is then understandable that
Ruth felt disqualified to be elevated to a position only the Israelites deserved. Ruth knew who she
was.
She therefore, understood that she was not entitled and she was offered an opportunity to harvest
and given food because of grace. Ruth had self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is important. Self-
knowledge helps in the following:
1. Uniqueness: Ruth acknowledged that she was unique and a separate individual. She was
foreign. You are unique. You are different. You have your likes and dislikes. You have your own
battles. You will have your own victories. You know what to prioritize. Your uniqueness allows
you to accept your limitations. You know what changes you need to make. You also know
where you need to improve. You need to be better with your skills and at work. If you know
yourself, you won’t underestimate or overestimate your capabilities. You also know how to
deal with emotions such as anger and sadness. You know how to control your emotions.
2. Decision-making: self-knowledge is important for decision-making. You know what works for
you and what doesn’t work for you. Ruth took good decisions because she knew herself. She
took a decision to travel with Naomi and arrived just in time for harvest. If you know yourself,
you don’t succumb to peer pressure. You know your preferences in clothes, food, drinks,
career, activities, etc. you know what to tolerate and what to give up on. You know your
purpose and always take decision that will ensure you fulfil your purpose. They take decisions
to ensure stability.
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3. Commitment: people who know themselves are dedicated. They commit themselves to their
decisions. Ruth committed herself to Naomi and to the people of Bethlehem. Ruth was
consistent and she stayed with harvesters the entire harvest season. People who know
themselves are firm in their beliefs and values. These values guide their loyalty and
commitment. They value feedback. Ruth constantly gave feedback to Naomi on how her day
went. Ruth was committed to gleaning. She treated gleaning as work. Gleaning was not even
supervised but Ruth worked as if she was reporting to someone. Committed people don’t take
anything for granted. She didn’t take the invite to eat with harvesters for granted. She didn’t
take the instructions from Naomi for granted.
4. Effectiveness and efficiency: Ruth worked towards her growth. Ruth wanted growth. Ruth was
productive. The productivity of people who know themselves is amazing. They can even work
under pressure and use limited resources. They will increase your profit. They command
respect from colleagues, supervisors and employers. They have good reputation. Their attitude
towards work is good. Their names are the first to be thrown to the hat for promotions and
salary advancements. They become successful. They progress. Ruth progressed. You will
progress.
BE KIND
Ruth 2:11b “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law”
“Unexpected kindness is the powerful, least costly, and mostly underrated agent of human change”
Bob Kerrey
Boaz mentioned that he heard that Ruth was kind to Naomi. Ruth shared her food with Naomi. Ruth
not only brought food she gleaned from the fields of Boaz, she also brought food that was left over
when she was offered food to eat by Boaz. The Dalai Lama once said “My religion is very simple. My
religion is kindness”. Ruth had a very simple religion; her religion was to be kind. Ruth was friendly.
Ruth was generous. Ruth was helpful. And act of kindness does not need to be encouraged; it must
come from within. As we light for others, we light our way also. Ruth light for Naomi and Boaz light
for her. Ruth was kind to Naomi and Boaz was kind to Ruth because he knew every word and action
of kindness Ruth has said and done for Naomi.
It is kind to visit someone in hospital and prison. It is kind to offer someone a lift. It is kind to
congratulate someone on his recent achievement such as promotions, asset acquisition and child-
bearing. Ruth looked well after Naomi; she provided for her. She was kind.
This is the kindness that can be offered to poor people, without taking pictures. This is the same
kindness that was offered by some lawyers who are willing to help with abuse cases for free. This is
the same kindness that was offered to me by Thabsile Nene, a former primary school educator of
mine. She paid a lot of money for my tertiary fees that were not funded by the education loan. It is
for this reason that this book is dedicated to her. People have been kind to me. I have been kind to
people.
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Awaken the kindness in you. Awaken the Ruth in you. Be kind. You will feel good. With each gesture
of kindness that I did, I felt good. Help people. The first characteristic God mentioned about human
relation was help. People should help other people. Hirah was a friend to Judah and helped him
supervise the shearing of his sheep. Job had friends who came to console him but they didn’t speak
kind words about God. Ruth was kind to Naomi. Ruth was interested in the welfare of Naomi more
than her own. Paul was invited by the people of Macedonia to come and help them. Being kind
means being there for someone. But speaking the truth is being kind. Being honest with someone is
being kind. Rejoicing and weeping with someone is being kind.
What I have learnt with kindness is that you don’t need to know the person or have a relationship
with. You can still be kind to a stranger. Ruth was kind to a foreigner. Boaz was kind to a foreigner.
Kindness is about you, not the person you are kind to. It’s always good to be kind to people even if
they are harsh. There are people who are born harsh and cruel but shower them with kindness
everywhere you go.
The public servants have been subjected to harsh criticism and have resorted to be harsh also. The
public health servants are said to be leading in harshness. Be kind. Because what is happening is that
you are reacting harshly to harsh people. Others are harsh because of the pressure they have. Be
kind. People are going through a lot; they are sick and they have sick family members, they are losing
family members and jobs.
How come a person who works at Home Affairs who deals with death certificates, is harsh to
people? Who are they really harsh to? People go through battles we know nothing about. Yes, they
are harsh, they say provocative words, but would you die if you choose kindness when you respond
to them?
We learn from a poor foreign widow, who stayed with her mother-in-law, that you can be kind. No
matter what life throws at you, you must be kind. Be kind. Ruth would take every crop that she
gleaned from the field to Naomi. You feel better if you spend what you earned, with someone else.
Kindness makes you feel better, for changing someone’s life. It is better to spend on others for a
good course, than on yourself. Imagine being kind and someone who was sad becomes happy! You
were responsible for someone’s happiness. The words you have spoken, the offered donation you
gave; depicted kindness.
I do want to be clear though, being kind is not an obligation. People often take an act of kindness as
an obligation. When I was teaching, I was also a Mathematics consultant for schools. I would travel
to other places. One day I decided to take four learners who were not doing well, to offer extra help.
I never got a thank you. I had to pay for petrol and their meals and drinks. An act of kindness was
taken as an obligation. I learnt later that the learners had information that I had funds from the
principal to fund such trips. How could a principal be involved in my private business? I did this
privately, and I have learnt a lot from Ruth that kindness is a private thing. You don’t flash around
kindness. If you are kind to someone and you want to be noticed for that, then you are being kind to
your ego. Ruth being kind to Naomi was the main reason Boaz was kind to Ruth. But do not be kind
because you expect people to be kind to you. Ruth was not expecting a reward. Be kind because you
are.
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Ruth progressed from gleaner to field owner because she was kind. Boaz said he knew about
everything that Ruth had done for her mother-in-law Naomi. She was kind to a bitter Naomi. She had
done this not expecting any reward. She had done this in private, but it was known in public. Be kind
to people, not for any reward, but surely it will be known to relevant people. These are people
relevant to your next level. Your kindness will be known to people who can influence your next
move. Be kind.
People may accept or reject your kindness. Whether they appreciate or not, kindness cannot be
wasted or hidden. It is visible for all to see that you are kind to people.
I have seen people trying to use connections, contacts and their friends in influential positions and
they have failed. I have seen someone who is kind asking and everyone wanted to help. Kindness is
about whom you are, knowing that even if they do not return the favour, you did well. There is no
small act of kindness. Offering R100 to a hungry family is something. You cannot measure kindness.
Something small added to other something small will be large.
We learn kindness from Jesus when He put everything on hold to help others. Jesus was kind. Jesus
healed the woman who bled for 12 years, while on his way to heal the daughter of Jarius. He didn’t
consider that while healing the bleeding woman, the daughter of Jarius may die. The daughter did
die but he raised her from the dead. Jesus went through Samaria to restore the people back to God.
It doesn’t matter the relationship people have, with you or with God, be kind. Ruth left her people
and her gods and put everything on hold to go to the fields for Naomi to eat. Ruth was kind. Hagar
was a foreign outcast when her baby boy cried for water. God being kind provided water. Ruth was
kind. Be kind.
I remember a story told by Jesus, about an injured man along the road. Many people passed him.
This included the Levites; this is a tribe where priests come from and were expected to take care of
God’s business. Then there came a Samaritan, he took care of this man and even paid for a place in
which he would stay until he was healed. He helped. Those entrusted with this task wouldn’t help.
Being kind is God’s business. There are people who are ordained to help but you will not receive any
help from them. There are pastors who are supposed to pray for you but will take your worries to
their wives and their wives share with their friends. They will even prepare a sermon with your
worries. There are nurses who will make a joke with your sickness in a hospital. There are policemen
who will make you a laughing stock while someone raped you. There are teachers who joke about
your inability to solve a Math problem. Learn not to expect kindness from people. Learn not to think
there is a place of kindness. Kindness is God’s business.
Be kind.
You cannot love and be unkind at the same time. You cannot love and be inconsiderate at the same
time. You cannot love and lack sympathy at the same time. Love is sympathetic; love is considerate;
since love is kind. A well (of water) cannot produce sweet and bitter waters. We can’t love and be
abusive at the same time. Domestic violence occurs between people who are supposed to be kind to
each other. Abuse can be verbal, physically or emotional. Be kind to your family. People are abusive
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because they love themselves. If you refuse to serve their desires, they respond by being abusive.
Brutality and roughness are used to manipulate people. Others are ignorant and negligent. King Saul
called his son Jonathan “a stupid son of a whore”. Love is not being possessive and selfish and using
your child as a front for all your resentfulness and anger. Love must be shown by words and action.
Your lifestyle must show you love your children. Do you live to show you love your children? Nabal
was abusive to his wife Abigail as he was described as abusive and wicked. Mostly abuse lead to
divorce or death. The recent numbers of people dying in the hands of their partners is scary. As
much as God hates divorce, He doesn’t condone abuse also. No-one should remain in an unsafe
relationship in the name of love. Relationships are supposed to be safe.
Some siblings are unkind to each other. Cain killed his brother Abel when he gave to God. Jacob was
unkind to Esau when he took his birthright and his blessing. Joseph’s brothers were not kind to him
when they sold him to the Ishmaelite. Abimelech killed 69 of his brothers. Jephthah’s brothers were
not kind to their brother when they chased him away at the time of dividing inheritance. Amnon
raped his sister Tamar. Absalom killed his brother Amnon. Most of these come from frustration that
a sibling outshines you. Learn to congratulate someone in his season. It doesn’t mean your season
will not come. It gives you an opportunity to strategize. Be kind. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and
described love as many things. Above all he said clearly that love is kind. God is love. Love is kind.
Therefore, God is kind. We are in His image. We are love. We are kind.
The Bible says that love cover all wrongs. One of the best gifts you can give people is to love them.
With all their faults, with all their failures, with all their lies and stealing; love them. Paul wrote to
the Corinthians why he thinks love will stand until the end of time. Let us go through the
characteristics of love as mentioned by Paul briefly. And I hope you will appreciate that we must love
people:
1. Love is patient. By showing love to people, you show patience. We are told that God is slow to
anger. In the days of Noah, He patiently waited. The fact that you are patient with people in
their shortcomings, it means you love them. Love is patient. Paul saw the Corinthians not
patiently waiting for each other when they were to eat the Lord’s meal. I watched a movie called
The girl is in trouble. A granny wouldn’t allow her grandson to eat until the other grandson was
back home. Unfortunately, he was dead, and when the older one found out, he told granny that
he was not coming back. Be patient with your children with regards to behaviour. Be patient.
Love is patient. Ruth was patient as she went to the fields of Boaz every day during the harvest
season.
2. Love is not boasting. Arrogant actions include speaking ill about another person while we are
supposed celebrate each other. As a parent, you cannot be attending a graduation ceremony at
your neighbour’s place but be busy boasting about your children who are also graduates. Love
does not dim the lights of others for yours to be bright. Boasting promotes division and
separation, and in many cases, people may hate each other because one brags about being
better. Love people, but do not boast to them or about them. Love does not boast.
3. Love is not proud. Proud people argue. Proud people speak poorly of others. Proud people of
Corinth argued they were better than others as they had better gifts. Paul had to speak to them
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that even if they were gifted, love conquers all. You must hate pride and arrogance. Pride is a
sin. God said His people must be humble, those who are called by His name. Show your children
that as long as they are called by your name, they must know that love works better with
humbleness than with pride. Tell them to be humble in all their walks of life. Be humble when
raising them, even if they are talented or academically gifted. Raise humble children. Love is not
proud. Love is humble. Ruth was humble.
4. Love is not rude. Speak softly when communicating. You must consider feelings of others and
show consideration for them, and allow them to interact. Do not be rude and speak harsh
words. Speak lovingly. Do not act rudely. Act lovingly. The Bible encourages us to give testimony
with gentleness and respect. Stop speaking harsh words and praising yourself as a straight talker
yet you are hurting other people. Love is gentle. Ruth was gentle to Naomi.
5. Love is not self-seeking. Love people as they are. You cannot love your child because he is a
graduate or he takes after you. Not all of our children will be interested in academics. Other
parents like to tell their children who to go out with, what to study, and others go as far as being
wedding planners. Love does not seek things for itself. Do you not love your third daughter
because you were certain that she would be a male child? Love is not self-seeking. It loves
nonetheless. Ruth and Naomi accepted each other as they were.
6. Love keeps no record of wrongs. When disciplining someone, you must show love and you
cannot bring past wrongs. No matter what was done in the past, a love disallows you to keep
that record. Jesus died so that God can wipe the slate clean and keep no records. Keep no
record. Keep no account where you deposit memories of all the evil people have done to you or
to other people. Go to jail to see your convicted family member. Go to hospital to see your HIV
positive daughter who was a prostitute. Go fetch your daughter from cohabitation. Go fetch
your son from the streets. Love keeps no record of wrongs. In discipline, love must be bright as a
star. In confrontation, love must smoothen. In correction, love must lead.
7. Love does not rejoice in evil but rejoices with the truth. If you love people it will not delight you
that they are living immorally. Some of our friends are thieves, others are sleeping with married
men, and we rejoice in this evil. But true love finds delight in truth and right way of doing things.
Love your people but never sell the truth. The truth sets us free. Tell your prostitute daughter
that you rather sleep in poverty. It is better to be poor and honest, than to be dishonest and
rich. The truth! Love rejoices with the truth. Love them enough to challenge transparency in
their dealings, and fairness in love and war. Ruth was commended by Boaz for being truthful to
the family as she didn’t run after a younger man. Love rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
8. Love never gives up. Love always has faith. Love never loses faith. Love always has hope. Love
endures. Love keeps you going. Love keeps you warm while gleaning in the fields. Love keeps
your stomach filled while you are working for your children. Love endures through every
circumstance. Love bears with everything. Love endures all experiences and expectations. Love
is constant on good and bad days. Love never gives up. Love reminds you that you are still in
poverty and you must wake up go to the fields to glean. Love reminds you that you are in
prosperity and you must wake up and go to the fields to bless the harvesters and extend love to
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gleaners also. Love is constant in gleaning and field owning. Love is constant in being sonless and
carrying a son. Love is constant in being a widow and a wife. Love is constant in being a foreigner
and a native. Love is indeed kind. Love has no boundaries. Love has no classification. Love always
has hope. Ruth hoped to progress from poverty to prosperity.
The father of the prodigal son saw his son coming. The father was filled with love and compassion;
he ran, embraced and kissed him. He gave him the finest robe (identity), ring for his fingers
(relationship) and sandals (readiness). He also had a feast for him, with fatted calf and music and
dancing. The kind father was willing to forgive him. The father forgave his son without the son saying
even a word. Forgiveness is about the person who was wronged. It's about your peace. After all the
hurt and disappointments, do not hold on to bitterness, anger and hate. Forgive them. Forgiveness
will also help you progress better. Grudges withhold a person like a car on brakes. Life goes on. You
cannot be stagnant. If you expect to be forgiven, learn to forgive. Forgive yourself for your mistakes,
bad decisions and wrong choices. Forgiveness does not lessen the damage and the pain. Forgiveness
is not something you can just choose. It's not a choice, but a decision. There are steps you will need
to follow to forgive. Forgiveness does not need you to continue communicating with the person you
forgave. You can cut ties. Your peace is very important.
Be kind.
We learn of a man who was sent to look for a wife for Isaac. This man was near a well and had a wish
that when he asks a woman for a drink, this woman would also offer water to his camels. Rebekah
came with a jug of water, and the man asked a drink for himself, but she offered the camels water to
drink too. She was in a position of kindness to the camels. She later became the wife of Isaac,
because she took this position. It would be easier to have unfailing love and be faithful to her
husband because she was kind. Ruth was kind. She went beyond the call of duty, because she was
only asked to provide that man with water. Be in a position where you offer kindness as you go
beyond your call of duty. Be a police officer who does not only arrest the perpetrator, but also
ensures the victim gets proper help. Be a teacher who does not only teach during the normal
teaching hours, but gives extra-lessons and feedback. Be a nurse who goes beyond helping the sick,
but also welcomes the family and update them with hope and love. Be in the position of kindness.
The kindness of Rebekah didn’t go unnoticed. She was rewarded for taking the position of kindness.
The camel can drink up to 200l of water. But she was patient and was rewarded. Be in a position to
offer kindness, the world is too harsh! Be in a position of kindness.
Jonathan's father hated David. But Jonathan had a strong affection for David and constantly warned
him about his father's plots to kill David. It is humbling to learn that Jonathan was next in line as a
king after his father, but he knew that David was anointed. His father considered David as a threat;
Jonathan considered David as a friend. There is this tendency of people recruiting other people to
hate those they hate. Jonathan didn't allow the hate of his father to cloud him into seeing David as a
good person. If you hate someone, hate him alone. Jonathan was kind and friendly to David. In the
world full of so much hate and pride, Jonathan brought love and humbleness. He was willing to
submit to a David that was being chased by his father. He aligned himself with progressive people. In
the position of kindness, you warn people about dangers they might face. Other people are not
aware they are hated. They do things out of love. They support and help people. And they are hated
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for that. In the position of kindness, you offer help to people. You offer clothing, food and shelter.
You offer capital to start a business or bursaries to pursue studies. You create employment. You give
and expect to receive nothing. In the position of friendliness, you offer peace in war, love in
animosity, and support in sabotage.
For every problem, there must be a solution. Ruth kindly became a solution when she went to the
fields of Boaz to glean for something to eat. When Saul became ill, David kindly played a harp for
him. Nehemiah was kind enough to leave what he was doing, and went to Jerusalem to build the
walls. Usually, kind people are busy with something but are able to make time to be kind. Moses was
tendering the sheep of his father-in-law.
1. A kind person prepares: Ruth prepared herself to leave Moab. You may remember that when
Rachel was leaving her father’s place with her family, Rachel stole her father’s household idols
and took them with her. Ruth was kind enough to leave everything in Moab. Ruth left even the
beliefs of the Moabites. Kindness prepares you to travel and arrive safely. An unkind person
may carry weapons and objects or substances that may put you in danger along the way.
2. A kind person preserves: Ruth preserved a life and Naomi was able to see her grandson.
Kindness preserves life. God preserved the life of David as He gave him green pastures and
quiet waters. David was being chased by enemies but God preserved his life and he was now
chased by goodness and mercy.
3. A kind person presses on: Ruth pressed on. Paul wrote to the Philippians that even though he
had not reached perfection, he pressed on. Paul spoke of pressing on and receiving the prize.
Ruth pressed on. Her prize was progress. She pressed on. She used her kindness to press on. It
excited her that she was even allowed to come back and stay with harvesters until the entire
harvest is completed. But she knew she has not reached the prize.
4. A kind person prioritizes: Ruth prioritised Naomi as she had an option of going back to her
people. Jesus would stop what he was doing and help people. He was rushing to heal Jarius’
daughter when he took time with the lady who has been bleeding for 12 years. He spoke with
her after she had touched his garment. Kind people help others, even on their way to work.
5. A kind person promises: Ruth promised Naomi that she would return with food and she did.
King David was kind to Mephibosheth. He had promised that he was going to look after the
children of Jonathan and we hear him asking “is there anyone left in the house of Saul that I
can be kind to, because of Jonathan?” Be kind.
6. A kind person protects: Ruth protected Naomi from poverty. She also protected her from
humiliation. She was never a beggar because Ruth gleaned for her. The same protection Ruth
looked for in the wings of Boaz is the one she provided Naomi in her wings. Ruth was always
closer to Naomi and her needs.
7. A kind person provides: Ruth was able to provide for Naomi. Kindness led God to provide
salvation for humanity. Kindness led the widow to provide food for Elijah. Kindness allowed
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God to give hope to Hagar as He provided her with water to continue the journey. Kindness
doesn’t mean you travel the journey with the person you are kind to, but you give hope that
they will reach their destination. Ruth was kind enough to even travel the journey to
Bethlehem with Naomi.
Unkindness may drive people to commit suicide. People may choose death than staying with unkind
people. Harshness damages people. You will be left with guilt that you should have done something
or responded kindly. Ruth was also going through hardships but she was kind. People will blame and
judge you for being hard and driving your child to hang herself. Some parents go as far as disowning
an addicted child. Suicide doesn’t take away the pain; it gives it to someone else. You will be left with
the pain and feel responsible. Love people. People have a need for love. Spread love. Give love to
the outcast. Give hope to the lost. Love gives hope. Kindness gives hope.
Kindness allows transparency. Ruth was transparent to Naomi. Boaz was transparent to Ruth as he
vowed to help her to progress “I will do what is necessary” said Boaz. Be kind. Do what is necessary!
HAVE CLOSURE
Ruth 2:13b “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me”

“Through the trials and tribulations of life comes the openness to receive greatness” Michelle Cruz
Ruth had been through a lot in Moab and in Bethlehem. She was poor yesterday and would be rich
tomorrow. Boaz comforted her. Boaz helped her find closure. Live in the present and enjoy the now.
It is crucial that for everything tragic that has happened in your life, you need to be comforted, and
have closure. Meaning you let bygones be bygones. Having closure is a response to what has
happened to your life.
Progress from poverty to prosperity depends on how you respond on what is thrown at you. Ruth
was a widow and foreign. She responded by going to the fields of Boaz and working hard to be
noticed. No matter how the condition, you are required to respond positively and work hard to
progress. Prophet Ezekiel saw a lot of dry bones but his response was the Lord knows. He had faith
that the omniscient God would make the bones live. Job lost his children and all his possessions. He
responded by saying the Lord has given and the Lord has taken, let His name be thanked. He later
said that he knew God could go anything and no-one would stop His plans. When Paul and Silas were
jailed, they worshipped in prayer. When Jonah was swallowed by a whale, he prayed. How do you
respond to the situations you face in life?
No situation is permanent. The darkness of today will be the light of tomorrow. The disappointments
of today will be appointments of tomorrow. You will succeed tomorrow. The Israelites were not
slaves forever. They had closure as they progress from slavery to the land of milk and honey. Poverty
was not permanent for Ruth. Gleaning was not permanent. Gleaning becomes permanent if you
remind people that you have qualifications and gleaning is not what you went to university for. Ruth
was noticed while gleaning. She worked hard and focussed on the field she was gleaning. Your
message for the job you qualify for will be delivered in the fields where you are gleaning. You must
progress with your purpose. Samuel wore an ephod (garment for priests) in his younger ages.
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Mahlon (Ruth’s husband) passed away, Ruth had to mourn and in due time, find closure. In due time
means there is no set amount of time or limitations. There is also no recommended way to deal with
any loss. It will take time to find comfort and get over but you must strive to find closure. You cannot
grieve forever. This may lead to instability in life. Boaz also commended Ruth for not taking major
decisions while mourning. People may be forced to leave properties belonging to the deceased and
should be an inheritance to them. Find closure.
Ruth mourned and it pained her that her husband did not give her a child. Mourning means a person
is still dealing with the departure of the loved one and may express the loss outwardly. Today we
learnt that Ruth was grateful to Boaz for comforting her. She may have cried, particularly since she
was poor, but she was comforted. It is never easy to say goodbye to a loved one. During her
mourning they ensured her that she was not alone, she was comforted, thus she was able to have
closure and moved on.
It also helped her that they spoke of her as a foreigner and a widow. Boaz was comforting Ruth that
she did well to stick where she belonged, so to have closure. This is a man who was respected and
would have used that as an advantage to use Ruth, but that man was kind to her. How comforting!
Remember, when one dies it’s not only him that dies but also the relationships, dreams, hopes, and
expectations one had with that person. Ruth had lost all that when her husband died. In being
comforted by Boaz she saw a possibility of dreaming again, of expecting again, of hoping again, and
why not? Being comforted by Boaz meant Ruth was healing. People have been good to her; from
Naomi, to field harvesters and then Boaz. It meant she could accept her loss of a husband and
moved on to something new. She would have closure.
Yes, there will be pain and some space because of the loss, but letting go of will allow you to heal
and have closure. You cannot have a progressive new relationship if you never had closure in your
previous relationship. Yes, there may be pain, anger and huge disappointment, particularly if you
invested lots and lots of money, energy and time; but IT DID NOT WORK OUT!
What is it that you are holding onto? Is it death of someone important? Is it a break-up or divorce
with a loved one? Is it a loss of a child due to human trafficking? There are situations that may have
not turned out like we envisaged them, yet we hold on to them with hope they will somersault. Does
it help to hold on? Sometimes we need to resolve this and move on and have closure.
Closure means taking some actions to move to a new page. The old page recorded Ruth as poor, a
gleaner, widowed, foreign and sonless. After Ruth was comforted Naomi and Ruth could now plot
their next step, which was to allow Boaz to redeem Ruth. The next step would be to progress from
gleaner to field owner. What is your next step?
Ruth’s plan was to grieve, find comfort, have closure, and have a husband that would give Naomi a
son. It happened. She would be a better person, who has dealt better with being a poor foreign
widow. Closure was important for her to progress from gleaner to a field owner. She focussed on the
positives. That she was appreciated, treated kindly, and regarded as important.
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You find comfort when you are surrounded by people who notice you, who make you belong, who
appreciate your hard work, and encourage you to focus. These are people who protect your
boundaries and encourage you to help yourself. Have closure!
As a person who seeks closure, what are your priorities? Ruth firstly wanted to take care of Naomi,
but later prioritized having a husband, which would ensure permanent care for Naomi. What are
your priorities? As possibilities and opportunities of a husband presented themselves to Ruth, she
stayed focussed in that she wanted to be with a person who wanted her.
Have you ever met someone that you once dated and when you meet him, he said you have
unfinished business? What is unfinished business? If you or that person is seeing someone, it’s an
insult to the current partner and it will destroy trust and honesty. They must find closure. If there is
“unfinished business”, there is no closure, and then you must go back. Orpah went back to her
people.
Surely, you may have lived in pain, but look at the gain. If there were break-ups with people, let go.
It is time not to live in the past. Live in the present. Find love now. If you started a business and it
failed, let go. No matter how much you lost. No matter how many people lost confidence in you.
What is interesting about life is that you will gain experience from all this. You will know how to love
better, to communicate well, to respect policies at work, or even to respect road signs. The past was
for you to learn for the present, to get better in the future. Learn not to live in the past. I was a
Mathematics teacher. This helped me gain experience in communication skills. This helped me build
a network of people. I had closure. You cannot be a victor with a mentality of a victim. It happened.
You may have regrets. Let it go. There is hope for the future. Do not live in the past. Your past is your
teacher, your present is your assessor and your future is your marker. Let's see how well you can do.
Jacob fled from his brother Esau to his uncle Laban. He had taken the birthright and blessings of
Esau. He stayed with his uncle for 20 years. In the 20 years he worked for his uncle. He also managed
to have two wives who were also Laban’s daughters. Laban’s flocks and herds grew under Jacob’s
care. Laban’s wealth increased enormously. But Laban cheated Jacob. Jacob fled from Laban with his
wife and children and his flocks and herds. Jacob left two places with closure? On his way to his
brother, his uncle caught him as he pursued him. They had a conversation and poured water. They
had a covenant and a covenant meal. Jacob had closure with Laban. He then proceeded to meet his
brother Esau. Esau refused his gifts but accepted him and they also poured water. He had closure
with Esau. Jacob was a wealthy man when he had these meetings. Some wealthy people do not see
the relevance of human relations and do not care much about closure. Jacob wanted closure.
Ruth wanted closure. It is very important to identify what exactly you are seeking closure in. If your
child was murdered, you may seek closure in the reasons why he was shot, or who shot him, or the
fact that you have lost someone. If you grew up seeing your parents being abusive, you may end up
resorting to violence as a form of discipline to your partner and children. You need to identify the
area of your life that seeks closure, and deal with it.
NEGATIVE POSITIVE
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MOAB ⟶ BETHLEHEM ⟶ FIELDS CLOSURE BOAZ’S HOUSE

widow, foreigner, sonless and gleaner wife, native, mother and field owner
You cannot become a field owner with a mentality of a gleaner, you cannot become a wife with a
mentality of a widow, and you cannot become a believer with a mentality of being a gentile.
You cannot become a victor with a mentality of a victim.
Closure means you can restart.
Brethren, no breakthrough will come to a person who does not have closure.
You cannot build on top of anger, grudges, wounds and hatred. Let go. You cannot see clearly with
tears. You cannot see possibilities within the borders of failure. Give yourself permission to have
closure.
In the book of Judges we find a Levite and his concubine being hosted by an old man in Gibeah.
Before they ate and drank, they washed their feet. This means the removed the dust and dirt that
they have accumulated on their way to Gibeah. Washing the feet means dealing with the past. Do
not eat and drink, without washing your feet. You must have closure. You must be clean from your
past. Ruth had closure. Her past would now remain past. She washed her feet. Do not love, without
washing your feet. Do not start a business, without washing your feet. Do not start a new job,
without washing your feet. Do not enter your future, without dealing with your past. Wash your
feet.
Sometimes you have to know the conditions to understand the position you need to take for your
vision. "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards", so I was told. No
matter the conditions, you must be optimistic for the vision. In this position, you are not ignoring
that you lost someone or something, that you had mistakes and failures, or that you lived an
immoral life. You deal with your past. You wash yourself. You want to come out clean. The past is
not part of your life, but of your memories. You have learned from your previous conditions and live
for your vision. Those conditions are history. They include past mistakes and wrongs. Accept that as
a human being you are prone to these things happening. Sit down before you eat and drink and
wash your feet. Let go. Wash it away. Let it go. There is progress to prosperity!
Having closure means to find balance. The world is unstable. We need to find a balance. Be able to
bring balance whenever something negative is given to you. This will help balance. When they bring
war, give them peace. When they bring hate, give them love. There is too much hate, even amongst
friends and family. Ruth brought love to Bethlehem. She had love for Naomi, her work, and later for
her husband. Bring light to darkness. Bring hope to despair. Find balance between lack and
abundance, pride and humility, increase and decrease, spending and income, problems and
solutions, unity and separation, greed and contentment. Find balance in health and wealth. Many
people end up not enjoying their wealth because they were chasing it and they compromise their
health. Other people are still struggling to learn to find a balance between their names and their
behaviour. We have a Nokuthula (peace) who is always at war, Noluthando (love) who has so much
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hate, Sibusiso (blessing) who is cursed, and Noxolo (forgiveness) who holds grudges. Learn to find a
balance between your behaviour and your dreams. There are people dreaming of becoming lawyers,
yet they are involved in many criminal activities. Ruth found balance between poverty and
prosperity. She had closure on her life in poverty.
It is important to have closure, even after decades the matter occurred. You need to move on. At her
old age Sarah had closure as she gave birth to a son. Closure is not about time but it is timely. The
Israelites stayed 430 years in Egypt, 400 years in the wilderness and the period Joshua was their
leader; with the bones of Joseph before they buried them in Shechem as their forefathers had
promised. No matter the distance and the trials along the way and in Canaan, they kept the word of
their forefathers. You must remember that when Joseph died, they were not yet slaves in Egypt.
They were treated as royalty. In his deathbed he told the Israelites that God will remember and
rescue them. Rescue them from what? He then said when God rescues them; they must take his
bones with them and bury him in the Promised Land. As long as they had these bones, they
remembered that God will rescue them. These bones reminded them that they will be closure. They
kept going with these bones. Generations after generations had hope as long as they saw these
bones. Though they were in a hurry when they left Egypt but they wouldn’t dare leave the bones
behind. The bones of Joseph gave them hope.
As Joseph is mentioned, we must be reminded of the fact that he arrived in Egypt as a slave. His
brothers had sold him to be a slave. He struggled but ultimately became ruler in Egypt. He was
responsible for storing and distribution of food during famine. His brothers came to buy food from
him during famine. They had lied to their father that he was eaten by wild animals. He revealed
himself to them and asked them to go fetch his father. His father had mourned but didn’t find
closure. He recently blamed them for losing Joseph. Jacob was revived. Closure revives. He went to
stay with his son in Egypt. The brothers were not comfortable because they thought Joseph was
going to kill them. They even questioned if he was going to kill them after their father died. But he
ensured them that they did well by selling him as a slave. God used them well so that Joseph would
come to Egypt and save lives during famine. They had a closure.
Closure is not about time but is timely.
Moses met with God in the burning bush. He agreed to take God’s assignment to go back to Egypt to
rescue His people. Moses had fled from Egypt after killing a man and wanted his closure there. On
his way to Egypt as he rested at night, God confronted him and wanted to kill him. It seems
confusing. God is sending him to Egypt but on his way He wants to kill him. God wanted to kill Moses
because Moses didn’t circumcise his son. Circumcision meant an agreement with God. Moses
accepted God’s assignment without an agreement with God. God wanted to restore people back to
God yet he was also not in good standing with God. God wanted to kill him. His wife took a knife and
circumcised the child. The wife took the children and went back to her father. Moses had to
continue to Egypt to rescue his brothers. His wife had some strong words to say to Moses. After
Moses had rescued the Israelites and they were near the mountain of God, his father-in-law brought
Moses’ wife and children to Moses. They had closure. Moses performed his duties without his wife
and children. He had stayed with this woman for 40 years. Surely, it was a relief when they
reconnected and had closure. Closure brings relief.
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David finally brought back the Ark to home. He initially fetched it but it killed Uzzah. He acquired
knowledge as to how to carry the Ark and wanted closure on the matter. He brought it home. He
shouted with joy and blowing ram’s horns and danced. He had a celebration! Sometimes our closure
on the matter requires that we look for information on how to do things correctly. There was a
proper way how to handle the Ark and Uzzah used his bare hands.
Caleb is known as one of the twelve scouts that were sent to explore Canaan. While ten of them
came with the report that was saying it was impossible to take, Caleb gave an honest report. The
other ten mentioned that the people living there were powerful and that the towns are large and
fortified. Caleb said they could certainly conquer it. Caleb was then promised to inherit land in
Canaan because he gave an honest report. We then meet an 85-year old Caleb in Canaan who was
promised inheritance 40 years ago in the wilderness. Caleb is having a meeting with Joshua and is
asking him to fulfil the promise of land inheritance. He wanted closure on the matter. We are told
that the promise to Caleb was fulfilled. You will remember that they had scouted Hebron and
discovered that the giant sons of Anak stayed there. Caleb wanted that land. He felt he would drive
them out and conquer the land. His request was granted. The promise was fulfilled.
If we do not fulfil a promise to someone, it communicates a lot about us. One, to her it may mean
you do not value her that much. Two, it may mean they cannot rely on you. Three, it may mean you
put other commitments before her. If you know that you are not good at fulfilling promises, why
don’t you surprise them? Do not promise but surprise. Can you imagine God promising a very old
Elizabeth that she will conceive a child John the Baptist? If it doesn’t happen, her hopes dashed, she
would never believe in any promise!
Promises raise hopes. Promises make the one who promised to be trusted for his integrity and if
they fulfil the promise, they have power. Promises show good intentions and fulfilling them show
good manners. It is rude to promise and be a no show. It is very important to fulfil a promise. If you
have promised your child items for her farewell function, deliver all of them. You cannot promise a
dress, shoes, make-up, hair, nails, and some pocket money, and you only deliver a dress. What do
you think would happen? It is better to promise her a dress only, and if you have sufficient funds you
can bring the other items along and she will be grateful. Do not overpromise and under-fulfil, rather
under-promise and over-fulfil. Joshua said, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed,
everything was fulfilled.” Every promise was fulfilled. All He had promised about place, period and
people, was fulfilled. If God promises and fulfil all, it is important to for us to ensure that we fulfil
what we promise. God delivered ALL He had promised.
If God has promised that He will fulfil something, He always fulfils His promises. He would not
abandon what He promised until the work is complete. God watches until His word is fulfilled. He
promised the Israelites that the Egyptians they were seeing, they would never see them. He killed all
of them in the Red Sea. He does not promise bread and fulfil with a stone. He does not promise a
promotion and salary advancement and fulfil with retrenchment. When God says you are going up,
you are going up. Even if you are going down, that is His way up. Joseph was sold by his brothers to
be a slave and he later became a prison in a foreign land. But had said he was going up. Joseph
became a ruler in that foreign land. When Samson had his hair cut, the Philistine rulers paid Delilah
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for the job well done. They gouged his eyes, chained him and took him to a prison in Gaza. God had
promised that Samson would rescue the Israelites from the Philistines. We learn that the hair of
Samson began to grow back. He did rescue the Israelites as he managed to kill all the Philistine
rulers. If God has promised light, even darkness must be seen as the way to the light. If God has
promised peace, even the war must be seen as the path to peace. If God has promised prosperity,
even poverty and gleaning should be treated as a route to prosperity. If God has promised birth,
even barrenness should be treated as a course to birth. If God has promised promotion, even
retrenchment should be treated as a road to promotion.
It is painful to wait on a promise. I once read a story about a rich young man who was staying in a
certain hotel. One day he pulled over near his hotel and saw a very old man sleeping outside on a
snowy day. He asked the old man if he would like a warm jacket, the old man nodded, and the young
man promised to bring back the jacket. When this young man arrived in the hotel, he was caught up
between reports and video calls, and he forgot about the promise he made to the old man. When he
left the hotel in the morning, he saw ambulances and police cars around where he had a
conversation with the old man. He couldn’t help it, he went there. He was told that the old man
couldn’t make it at night. He had left a note that reads “I was used to being cold, but as soon as you
promised me the warm jacket, I didn’t rely on my strength and resistance and held on to your
promise.” People hold on to promises. They do not look for any other help because you have
promised. Keep your promises.
When we were growing up, our father was working in the distant Vereeniging in the Gauteng
Province of South Africa. We would be promised that he was coming back for a month end weekend;
we would never sleep, or remain in a sofa until he comes at maybe 3 in the morning. Let’s say there
was a problem with the car or something, we wouldn’t understand. Usually their comeback trips
included Christmas clothes, warm winter clothes, sweets, and new school shoes. Do you know the
power of new school shoes when we were growing up?
Do not promise people and yourself beyond your income. Discourage those under your care from
competing. As a parent, you are only allowed to fulfil nothing beyond your capabilities. Do not delay
a promise. Do not substitute a promise. Do not replace a promise. Renegotiate if you have to. But,
remember your child believes the good work you have started will be carried to completion. Write
down a promise to your child and remind yourself to fulfil it.
You do not need to have the same promises to different children. Honestly, you cannot promise
boys’ toys to girls. I was speaking to one father who was really struggling to give his son money
whilst he was able to promise and give money to his other children. This particular son would buy
drugs with all the money or sell whatever his father bought for him, so to afford his habit. When the
father cuts off his benefits, expensive stuff started disappearing in the house.
One time the father lost his watch that costs a little over R25 000, and he had sold it for R800! I
spoke with the father of this young gentleman. We looked at all the options but we agreed that
promising him was not a problem; the problem would be fulfilling the promise to him since it would
be a waste. The son had very defensive words, as he was the only one who didn’t finish his matric
and no further studies. So, he would say that the father loved the others since they had proper
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education. I took the young lad for a walk and sometimes we would drive around. He agreed to try
rehabilitation process. I have to say, we succeeded. We solved the problem from its roots. But let
this be repeated, promises need not be the same. Some people need education promises and other
people need business promises. One person I know once said “do not give me a book because I will
not promise to read it; but buy me a meter taxi I will promise to drive it and make money.” He has
afforded himself three more cars that are also making him money.
One last thing about promises, Samuel wrote “may Lord make us keep our promises to each other,
for He has witnessed them”. Keep your promises to people, teach them to keep their promises to
you; God is the witness. Samuel wrote this knowing that he was the child of promise. Her mother
was not able to conceive and went to ask for a child in the temple at Shiloh. The name Samuel
means “I asked the Lord for him”. When asking him from the Lord, she promised that she would
dedicate the child to the temple and she did. Fulfil the relevant promise. Hannah fulfilled the
promise to God that she will dedicate her son Samuel to the temple. Do not take back a single word
you said. Promises will be thoroughly tested. If you have made a promise to someone, supply their
needs. Peter explained, “because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious
promises. These are those promises that enable to share divine nature and escape the world’s
corruption caused by human desires.” Now, let us look into this; God has promised because of His
glory and excellence. This is because of excellence. Be excellent. What do promises do? They enable
those under your care to share your nature and escape the corruption caused by human desires.
Ruth came back from the fields with a different language. Closure meant the language was no longer
about the past or present. Ruth reported to Naomi that she had worked in the fields of Boaz. Her
words were “The man I worked WITH today is named Boaz”. Ruth did not say she worked FOR Boaz
but WITH Boaz. Ruth spoke the language of her destination where she will own the field WITH Boaz.
Do not speak with people who have different language with you. Ruth spoke the same language with
Naomi. They spoke the language of destination. The wise men from the east were the ones who saw
the star. They had a vision of its destination. They spoke the language of results. Herod had not seen
the star. He had no vision of the star. The language of the star was foreign to him because he had
not seen the star. He had no vision of its destination. When the wise men spoke to him, the language
was different. When you arrive at the following places, avoid the languages they speak:
1. Marah- This is the place where people were complaining about bitter water. The water was to
be made sweet. Speak the language of the future. The water will be sweet. The widow of
Sarephath was complaining about little food she had when Elijah asked for food. Elijah told her
that there will be no lack. He spoke the language of the future. What seems to be lacking now
will be in abundance in future. Speak abundance. Speak brighter future. You may be
surrounded by failure but there will be success. Speak success. Speak victory. Speak
destination. Speak vision. Speak goals. Speak graduation. Speak employment. Speak business
loan approval. You may be surrounded by poverty but there will be prosperity. Speak
prosperity. Speak financial freedom. Tell people that what is surrounding you is not permanent
and does not define your future. The language at Marah is different from yours. The Israelites
speak to the bitterness; Moses speaks to the sweetness. It speaks to the present; you speak to
the future.
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2. Kadesh- This is where the reports from the scouts about Canaan were received. The language
of destination was different. 10 out of 12 scouts were saying the land is impossible to seize.
Then 2 out of 12 scouts said let us go once and take the land. The current conditions made ten
people doubt but the language of destination says you must speak victory. Others will speak to
you about where you are and you must speak to them about where you are going. When they
speak about your condition, you must speak about your vision. Vision is about what you see
where you are standing, not who you see it with. There is no problem if it is not clear to
someone else. It may be invisible to others and they may insult you. People may reject you
because it is not clear to them. They may discourage and gossip. Let the bad words also grow
you. Tell them that what surrounds you is not permanent. The darkness of today will be the
light of tomorrow. The disappointments of this day will be appointments of the other day. The
failures of today will be the successes of tomorrow. A flower needs both the rain and sunshine
to grow. The language at Kadesh is different from yours. It speaks to the obstacles; Caleb and
Joshua speak to the breakthroughs. It speaks to the present; you speak to the future.
3. Shiloh- This is where Peninnah provoked Hannah about her inability to conceive. Hannah was
surrounded by a conceiving Peninnah and had a closed womb. Hannah prayed about a son in a
closed womb. But she never mentioned Peninnah or the womb in her prayer. She asked God
to give her a son. Hannah knew that God had spoken to Abraham that would he be a father to
countless children. This conversation took place while Sarah (his wife) was known to be
barren. God spoke to Manoah’s wife that she would give birth to Samson who will save the
Israelites from the Palestine. Manoah’s wife was also known to be sterile. Hannah spoke the
language of possibilities. Prophet Hezekiah was surrounded by dry bones and he spoke the
language of possibilities. Hannah spoke positivity. Paul and Silas started worshipping in a
prison cell. Hannah spoke hope. The cedar has been cut from Lebanon, here is the building.
Solomon built in silent because people can only understand the language about the finished
building. Hannah spoke results. The language of building the ark spoke only to Noah. The
vision of wealth in Bethlehem spoke to Ruth. The vision of conceiving a child spoke to Hannah.
The language at Shiloh is different. It speaks to closed womb; Hannah speaks of openness. It
speaks to the present; you speak to the future.
4. Zacchaeus’ house- This is where a tax collector known as Zacchaeus hosted and had a meal
with Jesus. People were shouting why Jesus entered the house of a sinner. Jesus saw a
Zacchaeus who would receive salvation but people shouted that he was a sinning tax collector.
Having a vision means you are prepared to look for solutions for every problem that you will
encounter on your path. You fight against anything that stands between you and your vision.
Politely, you tell your friends, “with or without you are I am doing this”. Mordecai had a vision
to free the Judeans. He told Esther that they will be saved, whether she helps or not. Mordecai
spoke the language of being saved. Zacchaeus was getting saved! The vision is coming to life.
Do not keep people at an expense of your vision. Most people keep people who can’t even
pray for them and with them. Most people keep people who can’t help them towards their
vision. Most people keep people who aren’t going to congratulate them for the vision. They
travel greater distance with people who are not going to where they are going. They travel
distances with people who drag them to the opposite, so it’s two steps forward and one step
backwards. They travel distances with people who were brought in to destroy the vision.
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People who would do anything to kill the vision. The language at Zacchaeus’ house is different
from yours. It speaks to sinning; Zacchaeus speaks of being saved. It speaks to the present; you
speak to the future.
Closure meant the language was no longer about gleaning but she even brought leftovers from the
roasted grain she was offered by Boaz. Closure meant the language was no longer about gleaning
where she would find favour but being told to come back and stay with the harvesters until the
entire harvest season was completed. Closure meant listening to Boaz as she was guaranteed not to
be harassed in the fields of Boaz. Ruth was able to work from barley harvest to wheat harvest. Ruth
worked from harvest to harvest. She had closure as a gleaner. She had closure. Have closure.
HAVE A TEACHABLE SPIRIT
Ruth 3:5 “I will do everything you say” Ruth replied

“A man with a teachable spirit has no limit in understanding” Master Nchaupe
What is it that Naomi said that made Ruth to display this character of being teachable? Ruth 3:3
“Now do as I tell you- take a bath, and put on perfume and dress on your nicest clothes. Then go to
the threshing floor, but do not let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking.” Let us
look at the following revelation:
1. Taking a bath- washing yourself means removing dirt and cleaning yourself. If you had cow
dung or blood or whatever stains, you wash yourself to remove all that. Naomi was saying to
Ruth “remove your past”. Remove what you have been through, and remove all that you
carried from your past. Start on a new slate. Take a bath; get rid of your past. Take a bath!
2. Putting a perfume- this would allow Ruth to have a new smell. If the smell is great, it attracts
people. Even God adores a nice smell. God was attracted by a smell in the altar of Noah.
Naomi is saying to Ruth, have a nice smell nice and attract people who are going to take you to
the next level. Ruth, you are going to Boaz! You are going to an interview! You are going to a
date! Mind your smell. Put on a perfume!
3. Dressing in nicest clothes-you easily see a policeman or a nurse by the clothing, the uniform.
Clothing is an identity of who you are and what you are. Naomi is saying to Ruth “wear a new
identity”. Ruth, you are no longer a widow. Ruth, you are no longer a gleaner. Ruth, you are no
longer a foreigner. Ruth, we progress from widow to wife now. Dress in your nicest clothes!
4. Going to the threshing floor- a threshing floor is a place where the kernels of grain are
separated from the chaff. Naomi is saying to Ruth “learn to separate”. You must separate
what works and what doesn’t for you. Separate your future from your past, dancing from
mourning, prosperity from poverty, being a producer from a consumer and a wife from a
widow. Separate yourself from bad friends and bad situations. Go to the threshing floor!
5. Not letting him to see you until- this means you cannot jump in and introduce yourself. Wait.
Learn to build in silent. Let your actions and success announce you. Do not announce yourself.
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Naomi is saying to Ruth, “be patient my daughter”. Rome was not built in one day. Be patient.
Do not let him know you are in the threshing floor until he can concentrate on you. You don’t
deserve people who are still busy with certain things. Let them finish. Let them know there is
you. Let them be introduced to you, and they will never forget you.
There is something I would like to put to the table with regards to the spirit:
1. Joseph was successful in Egypt. When he interpreted king Pharaoh’s dreams, the king deemed it
fit that there is a position created, and that position had only one requirement, a person with
the spirit of God. His spiritual condition gave him a job, a job so high that he was second in
command to the king.
2. Caleb is one of the two individuals (with Joshua) who qualified for land inheritance in Canaan.
Caleb was described by God as having a different spirit. When everyone was seeing failure,
Caleb saw success. When everyone saw a fall, Caleb saw a rise. Because his spirit was different.
3. Daniel was promoted in Mede by the king. It is said that Daniel had an excellent spirit, thus the
king had plans to place him to rule over the entire empire. His excellent spirit saved him in the
Lion’s den.
Now today we see Ruth listening to her mother-in-law, and able to say she will do everything she
said. She had a teachable spirit. I conclude that a spirit is like a landing strip. An aircraft lands if the
landing strip is clear. Any threat or moving object in or around the landing strip makes the landing
strip deemed not safe for the airplane to land, and so is the spirit. For the good things to land into
your life, your spiritual condition has to be a relevant magnet. For appointments, advancement in
salary, promotions, and prosperity in other areas of life; how is your spirit?
You cannot teach a person without a teachable spirit. Ruth had a teachable spirit. She was able to
follow instructions. Awaken the teachable spirit within you. Be teachable. You may be taught by
someone you never thought could teach you. The Samaritan woman was certain that the well of
Jacob was the best source of water, yet when Jesus came, he presented her with knowledge that
there is better water. There was a commander of war Naaman, he was sick of a skin disease called
leprosy. He was told of Prophet Elisha, who would heal him of this condition. Upon arrival at the
prophet’s home, he was met by the servant of the prophet at the gate and was told to go and wash
in a local river Jordan seven times, and he would be healed. Naaman was so furious! He knew rivers
in his place that were greater and better than this Jordan! You cannot teach a person who thinks
what he knows is great. Put your ego aside, and have a teachable spirit. There are people to teach
you in any aspect of life. Most people who are talented or wealthy have the notion of thinking no-
one can teach them and that what they possess as knowledge is the best.
Being teachable means, you are open-minded, you are willing to try something suggested by
someone else, and you are willing to let go of your own beliefs which never helped you in anyway. If
Naaman was so obsessed by the greatness of his rivers, why did he go to Elisha?
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Also, a teachable spirit means not only to be taught by people, but by circumstances. Ruth is a
widow who started as poor and staying with her mother-in-law in a foreign land. This situation calls
for her to be teachable. By listening to Naomi, she would change her social status to married, her
financial status to wealthy and her employment status to entrepreneur. Ruth had a teachable spirit.
People still refuse to be taught by situations. Have a teachable spirit. Situations should teach us. I
have seen people recklessly spending their inheritance, and people still fall into that trap. They have
heard of people losing jobs because of misconducts including alcohol, sexual advances, fraud and
corruption. The media that helps in spreading the news puts us on advantage, but we do not learn
because of our spiritual condition. We do not have a teachable spirit. We learn daily not to ride cars
of strangers but our sisters in clubs and taverns drink with someone they have never seen before,
and they even go with him to his place and sleep with him; mostly without a condom. There are STIs
and pregnancy but our spiritual conditions are so damaged that we trust someone we met 40
minutes ago and we give him enough freedom to decide what he leaves with us, be it a child or
sickness. No teachable spirit!
Let us learn to cover our loved ones with funeral covers such that when they die, we do not sit long
family meetings trying to figure out how to fund the funeral.
Be teachable. Have a teachable spirit. Municipalities and other private companies are hiring people
who have qualifications such as in-service training, internships and learnerships, where people are
supposedly learning to do the work and gain experience. Interns are mentored by permanent
employers. They learn to take big decisions such as hiring in HR and tender awarding in supply chain
departments.
I have taught for twelve years, ten years in matric, the most difficult and most failed subject in the
country and perhaps in the world. I did well against all odds. Now I learnt, and this may not be true
for other fields of work, that qualifications and experience can never beat a willing heart and a
teachable spirit. I hold a Bachelor of Science qualification and was labelled unqualified/ under-
qualified. But I have managed results beyond my understanding. Records are sealed and not
breakable until this day. At one moment I obtained sixteen distinctions in one year. That is in
Mathematics! Ken Doherty wrote “the five S’s of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill
and spirit, but the greatest of these is spirit”. Have a teachable spirit.
I have attended and facilitated workshops, trainings, and upgraded courses. Allow people to teach
you. Empty yourself so that other people can fill you. Irrespective of the level you are in, be
teachable. Boaz knew that Ruth was teachable, she would make her a better wife to him, a better
mother to Obed, a better daughter to Naomi, and a better field owner to the field workers. There is
always new knowledge. There is always extended knowledge. There is always researched
knowledge. God said His people perish because they lack knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Do not lack
knowledge. Your progress relies on you having knowledge. You obtain knowledge if you have a
teachable spirit. You progress from poverty to prosperity if you have a teachable spirit.
Amongst things that Ruth learned from all her interactions were the following:
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1. She learned that having a relationship with God is essential: You must learn to pray to ask for
guidance and to thank God for the time to pursue your dreams. Be connected to God through
prayer and never lose this connection. The greatest mistake we make is that we may have
succeeded without praying and we thought prayer is not essential. Along the way there will be
problems. Learn to pray as you begin the journey, pray as you progress, and pray as you have
prospered. We do not to pray to please others or to compete but prayer reflects us being
humble to Him, being truthful to Him, seeking a connection with Him, being obedient to Him,
being thankful to Him, and coming boldly to Him. Boldly does not mean pride and
overconfidence where people demand God and instruct Him while blackmailing Him. Prayer is
a heart issue; you pouring your heart to God. Pray for others. Pray for your weaknesses. Pray
for your decisions and choices. Devote yourself to prayer. Prayer is the weapon for spiritual
battles. You need protection using your prayer. Prayer is about asking God to incorporate us in
His plan, to make us fit His purpose. Prayer should be your lifestyle. Prayer is essential.
2. She learned to live within her means: We don’t hear Ruth asking for expensive food or clothes
but we see her working for their next meal and wearing her best dress. I use a circle to explain
this better and I call this The Circle of Affordability. Inside the circle I place all items I can
afford, including food, clothes, housing, school, and car. On the edges of the circle I place
items that I can afford but they will take all my savings and investments, such as second car
and a new baby. Outside the circle I place all items that I cannot afford, including a holiday,
expensive phones and labels. Live within your affordability. Stop funding activities and items
that will put you into debt. Debt is addictive. You will end up living from loan to loan, paying
debt with another debt. Do not crave for anything outside of your affordability circle. Work
towards it, you may afford it. Save towards it, you may afford it. If you continue living out of
your budget, you will end up broke or bankrupt. You will not be able to pay and have a bad
record. You will be blacklisted and humiliated. You will be garnished. The people you were
trying to please will leave you. You will be in debt and no longer able to afford presents, trips
and alcohol for them. Drive the car you afford. Eat the meals you afford. Stay in a home or
house you afford. It is toxic to look as if you are affording, yet inside you are dying. Learn to
live within your affordability.
3. She learned to choose a partner correctly: Ruth had many options; from gleaners to
harvesters, to harvest foremen and other men in Bethlehem including her nearest kinsman
redeemer. But Ruth only put an effort in becoming the wife of Boaz. A donkey and an ox
cannot plough together. Their strengths, sizes, steps, etc. are not the same. We often choose
partners according to looks and appearance and forget that the journey is long. It is painful to
put all your energy in a dream, only to find out that your partner does not use any of her
strengths to help you. A donkey has strength to carry loads and an ox has strength to pull
loads. It is very difficult to achieve anything if you have a partner who does not support you.
Your steps towards goals should be the same. Your action and enthusiasm on an opportunity
should be the same. She cannot be a tortoise while you are a deer, and vice versa. You do not
need to be the same but the direction and destination must be the same. If you have a degree,
she does not need to obtain one. The issue here is working together towards a common goal
and each has a part to play. You do not need a partner who will bring war at the time of peace.
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A person you always fight with and is always ready to walk out on you. Learn to choose
someone who will stick around, no matter the situation. Ruth chose Boaz.
4. She learned to be patient: Naomi told Ruth to be patient and wait for Boaz to settle her
matter. Ruth had a patience of Jael. Rome was not built in one day. Learn to be patient. Learn
to be bold and courageous. Start and if it fails, you must restart. Improve. Believe that your
goals are attainable. That they are within reach. With patience. Never give up. Keep moving
forward. Be patient along the way. Learn to keep going. Study further. Have more financial
dealings. Improve on relationships. Keep going. And no pressure, but patience. Everything you
do in life has an input, a process and an output. You will put all your efforts, time and money.
On travelling to an interview, you know that an output is that they will call you to tell you they
have accepted you. But then, there is a process that you need to wait for. Be patient with the
process. Trust the process. Have faith in the process. No matter how long it takes. No matter
how far you have gone. No matter what resources have been depleted. Be patient. Have faith
in the process. You introduce yourself and wait. You announce your work and wait. People
may be busy. You wait. Please wait. Please be patient. Learn to be patient. It’s loading...
5. She learned to establish her own kingdom: Ruth had a husband, a child and servants. She was
a joint field owner with her husband. As soon as Solomon assumed his role as a king; he killed
Adonijah, Joab and Shimei. And we are told that the kingdom was firmly in Solomon's grip.
Solomon established his kingdom. We must understand that a person is spirit. Whenever
someone dies, a certain kind of spirit dies. These people had a spirit of jealousy, anger,
rebellion, competing, amongst man. They were going to trouble him. At the beginning, you
need to establish your kingdom. Get rid of what will trouble you. The vision is for you to have a
firm grip of your kingdom, business, career, relationship, health, etc. Do it in the beginning!
Build a solid foundation. Not based on lies. The truth is a solid foundation. No based on other
peoples' toil. Pay people who have rendered any services to you when you established your
kingdom. The issue here is that you need to start on a new slate. This is a time to kill the spirits
of failure, giving up, excuses, lies, deceit, and conspiracy. You will have a good life with
freedom and prosperity. Ruth established her kingdom.
6. She learned to communicate: Ruth would speak to Naomi about every step she was taking.
She also listened to Naomi. Communication comprises of speaking and listening. Speaking may
not be uttering words. Nehemiah’s face was sad and without a word it was known that he was
troubled. Parents must communicate with their children. Not talk, communicate; not shout,
communicate; and not preach, communicate. Parents must speak to their children and teach
their children to listen to them. Parents must be able to state instructions to their children and
these instructions must help the children not to go astray. People must communicate with
other people. Good communications skills will open so many doors for a person who wants to
progress from poverty to prosperity.
7. She learned to set goals: Goals mean what you want to achieve. Ruth had a goal of progressing
from poverty to prosperity. You want to obtain a degree, have stable employment, start a
business, and have a family. These are your goals. Set goals and work hard towards realizing
them. You must progress towards achieving your goals. Set goals higher. This will help you in
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that if you obtain even half of them, it will be an achievement. Setting goals is the first step
towards changing your situation. You may not see where you are going but if you have set
goals well, you will end near or exactly where you wanted to be. Do not abandon your goals.
Be committed to your goals. Do not change your goals. You may need to change your inputs.
You may need to change the process. But not the output. If you want a thousand sales for your
product, then stick to that. Look at ways to promote it. Maybe you are the one who may need
to change so to achieve these goals. Other people may remove goal posts. They may try to
disturb you towards achieving your goals. Despite what they do, ensure that you continue
setting goals for yourself and working hard towards achieving them. Learn to set goals.
8. She learned to eliminate fear: Ruth relocated to Bethlehem. Ruth woke up early to glean in the
field of Boaz. Ruth went to the threshing floor where Boaz was, after the harvest season. Ruth
eliminated fear. She stepped out of the comfort zone. If you step out of your comfort zone, to
unknown waters, you will have fear. Fear to start, fear to continue and fear to finish. You are
human if you are afraid; fear is natural. What makes other people to be prosperous is that
they eliminate fear. They find courage to send their CVs. They find motives to knock in certain
doors. They find reasons to apply for funding for their businesses. Fear will encourage you to
be stagnant. You will not quit drugs and alcohol. People have fear of losing friends who
respected them because they are addicts. People use substances to hide fear and suddenly
become confident. Learn to eliminate fear. You must fetch the results from the doctor, so that
you know what was diagnosed and get proper care. You must open your mail to read your
school results, so that you know if you made it or plan to register again. Fear of results is
natural, but they will help you plan better. Learn to eliminate fear. Each and every time fear
kicks in, tell yourself "If not now, when? If not me, who? If not this, what? If not this way,
how? If not here, where?" Fear has a little voice inside you. Find something outside that will
silence this voice. Stepping out should silence fear!
9. She learned to accept responsibility: Ruth accepted the responsibility of waking up and going
to the field of Boaz to glean. She accepted the responsibility of progressing from poverty to
prosperity. "I am poor because my parents were poor". No, you are poor because you are
poor. Yes, you were born poor but you can try to do something between your birth and your
death. Take and accept responsibility for your progress. Stop blaming other people for your
misfortunes. You cannot blame people for you not being shortlisted for an interview. You
didn't meet the requirements or other candidates were better than you. Be responsible for
improving yourself. Learn to accept responsibility. You cannot blame others for your
drunkenness. You cannot blame others for your break-up. You cannot blame others for being
arrested. You cannot blame the government for your lack of employment. Instead of
complaining or blaming certain people, take the same energy and start working towards the
solutions to the problems that you have identified. Accept the responsibilities of getting out of
poverty to prosperity. Accept the responsibility to quit habits that are not good for your
health. Accept the responsibility for your failures and flaws and be willing to rectify these.
Become responsible, reliable, respected and reputable. Ruth went to the fields. Accept
responsibility.
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10. She learned to avoid shortcuts: Ruth had options to quickly reach her destination but Ruth
didn’t take shortcuts. There is no shortcut to real success. The costs of a shortcut will be
known when it fails, and you realise you had lost all your resources and time. Shortcuts are
expensive. Shortcuts may leave more work for people who follow you. For example, you may
build a house and not follow all the measurements and procedures. It will fall. And your
children will have to fix the house. If your shortcut succeeds, you will develop a shortcut
mentality. You will never understand why you must stand in a queue. You will undermine
those who are doing the actual work to obtain results. People take shortcuts to finances,
relationships and health. You will hear them talk of get-rich-quick schemes. You will hear them
talk of a cheaper pill. You will hear them talking of blind dates. Do not be pressured by anyone
into taking a shortcut. Walk the distance. Do not skip any step. Do not avoid any challenge
along the way. Every effort will be worth it in the end. Build proper foundations. Allow for
roots to grow. Even when you plan a journey, do not ask if there are any shortcuts. Shortcuts
end up being longcuts.
11. She learned to create a network of people: Ruth had Naomi, gleaners, harvesters, harvest
foreman and others as a network of her people. It has been discussed in the first chapter how
this helped her progress from poverty to prosperity. You cannot stand alone. You cannot grow
if you are an island. You will need to create a network of people to help you; to help you
achieve your goals. At the beginning you may not have money but people and time will help
you as they volunteer their skills and time. If you cooperate with other people, you have
strength to finish on time. You learn to work with a team and be accountable for your part.
This is a network of people with whom you have shared values and beliefs. You communicate
well with these people and have an understanding. This is a network of people you can trust.
You may have invested so much on your product and service and you only need people you
can trust to ensure it sees light. Many people have failed because they trusted wrong people.
These are people who were tasked to promote their services. People were trusted to sell their
products. These must be people who are supporting your vision. If they are not, lose them. It is
better to lose people than to lose your vision. You must know who is with you and who is not.
Do not try to fit in. Learn to create a network of people to work with and for you.
12. She learned not to delay: As soon as they arrived in Bethlehem, she went to the fields of Boaz.
As soon as Naomi told her to prepare herself to go to the threshing floor, she prepared herself.
Start now. Do not delay. Do not procrastinate. Do not wait for the perfect time. Do not wait for
the rain to plant. The secret is starting now. The moment to get started doesn’t exist, you have
to create it. You will grow along the way. Start now. Get it out there. Start compiling your CV if
you are looking for work. Start sending it to prospective employers. Start downloading
business plans and compiling yours from the knowledge acquired. Start seeking financial and
legal assistance about your business ventures. Forget about the resources you do not have.
Use the available resources. Use that old computer and phone. Use old exercise books to write
your ideas and plan. You do not need money to start. You need to work with what is available.
If you have time to start, an idea to work with, and some resources to get you by, START. If you
ask most successful people, what is their regret, they will say DELAYING. There are no perfect
conditions to start. You do not need a perfect plan and a clear direction. You need to start.
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Everyone that is good and successful today, he HAD to start. Start NOW. Delight in your small
beginnings. You have started.
13. She learned to adapt quickly: For a Ruth that had just arrived from Moab, she adapted quickly
to go to the fields of Boaz. She adapted quickly to the rejection by the nearest kinsman
redeemer. One of the questions you get in an interview is: What are you going to do if you
don't get this job? And the response to that is: I will adapt quickly and keep on looking for
another job, though I was looking forward to working in this establishment. Learn to adapt
quickly. Adapt to new ways of doing things. Adapt to change quickly. If there is a change, you
also need to change how you see the world. Adapt to technology. People are speaking about
4IR in business and everyday life. Adapt. React positively to any negativity thrown at you.
Adapt if there is lack of support, adapt quickly. Understand that other people love you at your
lowest point. You are the one who understand your dreams and visions. Adapt to standing
alone. Learn to adapt quickly. Plan for and anticipate rejection. Accept and adapt to rejection.
Take another path and repeat the two steps until you get a YES. All the rejections, failures and
disappointments should be fuels to keep you going. Use the lessons you learned when you
failed. If you get it right when you do it for the 100th time, it means you have failed 99 times.
You have adapted to doing it better and have 99 ways that you know will not succeed. Learn to
adapt quickly.
14. She learned to be a person of action: “Let me go to the field”. She was a person of action. She
once said “I will DO what you say.” The reason I hate meetings is that we talk a lot of good
ideas and we never implement them. Talk is cheap. Anyone can be a billionaire if all you need
is to say "I am a billionaire." Whatever is in your head; do it. Act. No excuses. You must
execute. You cannot keep on thinking ideas and never implement them, because you will
never know that maybe it would be a success. Planning is good, but you must go out there and
do something about your plan. Do something today, about achieving your dream. Do
something now about getting results. If you are a student, read and study. If you are a writer,
prepare and publish. Register your company. Ask to be put into databases. Organise an event.
Attend an event. Sponsor an event. Do not let anything stop you from acting. Know that
Newtown said for every action there is a reaction in the opposite direction. But is the reaction
equal in size to your action? Act and you will not regret this. They say action speaks louder
than words. Most men have brilliant ideas but they die with those ideas, as they don't put
them to action. Learn to be a man of action. Mere talk leads only to poverty, said King
Solomon in one of his proverbs.
15. She learned to create opportunities: She created an opportunity for herself in the fields and in
the threshing floor. She created an opportunity for Naomi to hold a son again. Learn to create
opportunities. Many well-funded businesses have failed. Many graduates are unemployed.
The reason is that people want other people to create opportunities for them. People want
the government to create an internship where you will earn a few thousands. Learn to create
opportunities. There are business ideas which may not even need your education but will offer
you better financial gain than what your education would give you. Learn to create
opportunities to sell your skills and talents. You do not need to wait for people to create a job
that need your set of skills. You can always write to them and ask them to consider using your
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skills. How many job opportunities have you created? Starting a farming project may create
many job opportunities and many families will get out of poverty. Whatever you do, it must
also create opportunities for you and others to grow. If I publish a book, a book shop will sell
and get a commission, and the people who print, format, and publish, and those transporting
the books. Learn to create opportunities; for yourself and others.
16. She learned not to forget: Ruth never forgot who she was. She always responded by saying she
was a foreigner. She didn’t forget Naomi when she became a rich woman as the wife of Boaz.
People forget. They forget how they progressed from a certain condition and achieved what
they have now. Learn not to forget. Do not forget people who helped you. Most of us are
helped by other people to even afford proper clothing for an interview, data to send a CV, or
petrol money to attend a course. Learn not to forget you were helped. This will help you to
pull others up. You will not laugh at other peoples' dreams. Do not forget the promises you
made. Try not to promise if you know you will not keep them. Do not forget events that took
place. You may have forgiven but do not forget. They must not consume you though. The
people, who forget, tend to fall in the same trap again. The people, who forget, repeat the
same mistakes. The people, who forget, delay the progress of other people. If you are
supposed to deposit tuition money for your child, and you forget, they may not register at
school. What if it was the last day for that year? Do not forget that there are people you must
not allow to help you. Learn not to forget. Set reminders in your phone, diary and calendar.
Have reminders placed in the fridge door. Do you remember the two prisoners whose dreams
were interpreted by Joseph in prison? He specifically told them not to forget him, but as soon
as the other one was reinstated to his old job, he forgot about Joseph. Do not forget.
17. She learned to describe herself: Ruth knew who she was. When Boaz asked her who she was
in the middle of the night in the threshing floor, she said “I am your servant.” All the
characteristics explained in this Book defined Ruth. You must be able to define yourself. In an
interview, they will ask you: tell me about yourself. The character traits that describe you will
help you and the prospective employer know if you are a suitable candidate or you will be able
to identify businesses that suit you. Work need people who rise up early, work hard, and
honest. Businesses need patience. Businesses need hard work. Businesses need people who
can adapt. Are you a team player or prefer to work alone? Are you passion-driven or money-
driven? Are you willing to start from humble beginnings and work your way up? Other people
want an already cooked thing. They are not willing to put in the work. Are you that person?
Ruth was kind, thankful, humble, and hard working. Everyone who interacted with Ruth loved
her personality. People can take away your possessions but will never take away your
personality. As you work on your job or business, also balance that with working on your
personality. Work on your attitude towards people. Deal with issues regarding anger,
bitterness, resentment, and seriousness. I understand you may have been disappointed, but it
is important that you do not treat every person harshly. Learn to communicate well with
people without insults and vulgar language. Learn to appreciate and respect other people.
Learn to smile. Learn to greet people. Learn to start a conversation and argue positively. Learn
to present and appear well. Even if you have the greatest message, your image is important.
Your personality will take you places. Your personality will keep you in those places. Learn to
work on your personality.
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18. Learn to deal with rejection: Do you remember that there was a man who was the nearest
kinsman redeemer to redeem Ruth as a wife? She rejected her. Ruth held her head high and
moved on. You must be able to deal with rejection. Rejection is something that you cannot
avoid. Somewhere in your life you will be rejected. You may be rejected in a relationship, in
business, or at school. What if I write and publish and my book does not sell? What if I go to an
interview, and they do not call? Steve Jobs was once rejected. Denzel Washington once
rejected. What is important is how you deal with rejection. Rejection will make you realise the
weaknesses and fix them. Other people choose to give up when rejected. Keep going. Other
people have excuses when rejected. Take responsibility. Other people look for shortcuts when
rejected. Walk the distances to achieving success. Learn to deal with rejection. Apply again.
Restart the business. Keep writing the books, one of them will sell and you will be a household
name. It is what we do with rejection that separate those who progress and those who are
stagnant. Learn to be able to cope and deal with stress that comes from rejection. Stress can
decrease your productivity. Avoid drugs and alcohol in trying to deal with stress. These will
bring other problems and you end up piling more stress. Stress can lead to depression, which
can lead to death. Stress must not tamper with your ability to do your work. Stress must not
disturb your love life. Avoid people or situations that lead to stressful life.
19. She learned not to limit herself: Ruth didn’t limit herself to being poor and foreign. She saw
herself out of poverty and into prosperity. Do not limit yourself. Your capacity is not limited.
The sky is the limit. What limits us is what is filling us. If your brain is filled with comfortability,
fear, failure, and giving up; you will have limited capacity. Your inability to get rid of the toxic
attitudes you have, limits you. It is unfortunate that many people die having not reached their
maximum capacity. The graves are filled with people who had talents and were very intelligent
and had a capacity to achieve greater things. The difference between you and them is that
there is nothing they can do, you still can. Do not limit yourself. Once you decide to do beyond
your capacity, you won't be stopped. It doesn’t mean that if you grew in a 3-room house,
that’s your capacity. If doesn’t mean that if you grew in a family that doesn’t finish matric,
that’s your capacity. Ruth was a widow but that didn’t limit her to getting married again. What
limits you? With whatever education or skill you have, there is something you can do. There is
a job or business out there for you. Do not limit yourself. You have a capacity to start. You
have a capacity to be patient. You have a capacity to keep going and go all the way. Do not
limit yourself. Do not limit your capacity. Increase your borders. Increase your limits. They are
not permanent. Increase your capacity. Increase your ability. There is no maximum. There is
no minimum. There is no boundary. There is no limit. There is new territory after new
territory. There is a success story after success story. Do not limit yourself.
20. She learned to understand the legality of everything: Marriage is a legal way to show a union
in love. Ruth got married. Ruth never stole from the field but gleaned until she was told to
harvest. Ruth understood there is a right way of doing things. It is important to equip yourself
with legal knowledge with regards to any activity you are doing. Seek legal advice about
financial endeavours and anything personal. You will be shocked to learn that you are
considered legally married if you have cohabitated with someone for more than 3 months.
Register your company or any form of business you have. Discuss this with a business partner,
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if any. Be cleared for tax. Deal with any employee issues. Solidify your legal framework. Learn
to understand legal terms and be able to do things right. Support your children, if you have an
income. You do not need a maintenance officer to be serving you with papers. Avoid being on
the wrong side of the law. Don't fight with people. Have consensual sex. Don't drive a car
while intoxicated. Don't do dealings with shady people. Be able to account for every cent you
have. Be able to account for every asset you have. Be able to account for every association you
have. Be able to understand the legal framework around association with corrupt people.
Understand the legality or legitimacy of everything.
Have a teachable spirit.
BE BETTER
Ruth 4:15b “… and has been better to you than seven sons”
“If you know you can do better, then do better.” Unknown
The women of the town spoke to Naomi and were congratulating her for holding a son in her arms.
They further acknowledged that this would not happen if it was not for Ruth. They went on to say
that Ruth has been better than seven sons. Not that she was better but has been better. This was
something continuous. Ruth has been better from following Naomi in Moab to Bethlehem. Ruth has
been better from gleaning in the fields of Boaz. Ruth has been better in listening to Ruth to go to
Boaz in the threshing floor. Ruth has been better as she progressed from poverty to prosperity.
Be continuously better where you are positioned, despite the conditions. We are told Benaiah; a
warrior for David chased a lion on a snowy day into a pit and killed it. The conditions must not
influence you, but the position. Today we witness horrible conditions of living but they these
conditions do not mean take a bribe as a police officer, or award tenders to your friends as a
politician, and or rape church members as a church leader. Be better.
In a world that is subjected to gender violence, be better.

In a world that is destroying human kind, be a better builder.
In a world that is looking for employment, do better, create employment.
In a world that is giving up, do better, rise up after every fall.
The women of town are saying Ruth has been better than seven sons to Naomi.
Be a better teacher to pupils. Be a better police office to the victims. Be a better health worker to
patients. Be a better pastor to the flock of God. Be better. Be continuously better.
It took Naomi a lot of steps to carry a child named Obed in her arms. She experienced poverty in her
land, in Bethlehem. She was a property owner but she was in hunger. When in poverty you cannot
be happy. Poverty brings sadness. Naomi experienced dislocation to an unknown land. In that land
she might have received food, but she lost her husband. Her sons took wives. Remember, Naomi
means pleasant, being joyful. The wives were supposed to give children to her sons, but her sons
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died. She was left with unknown daughters in an unknown land. There was a time when Naomi
wanted to be called Marah (bitterness) because she said God treated her with bitterness.
Good news came, that there is food in Bethlehem. She relocated with one daughter-in-law, Ruth.
The other decided to remain in Moab. Remember, all this is happening so that Naomi could fetch
Ruth in Moab, to carry Obed. Ruth went through all what Naomi went through. It sharpened her, it
prepared her, and all along it got rid of all the people who were not to ensure that Naomi carried
Obed in her arms. Mahlon was no more, Orpah was no more, and the nearest kinsman who had his
priorities and rejected Ruth. There was gleaning, there was harvesting, there was a meeting in the
threshing floor between Boaz and Ruth, there was marriage, and there was birth. The situation
continuously got better.
Being better does not mean Ruth was better than someone specifically. If God wanted to show
competition, He would have written to us about Orpah also, as for how her decision turned out. We
never hear of Orpah, but we hear of Ruth getting better and better and even the women of town are
able to say “she has been better than seven sons”.
Ruth got better than her yesterday. Be better than your yesterday. Ruth is today a gleaner and
tomorrow a field owner. Be better than you a year ago. Be better than your previous employment,
your previous relationship, and even your previous financial status. Levels! If you had met a
widowed Ruth in Moab, there is a better Ruth in Bethlehem, she is married! She got better. If you
had met a gleaning Ruth in the barley fields, there is a better Ruth in the office, she is a field owner!
She got better. If you had met a sonless Ruth staying with her mother-in-law, there is a better Ruth
in Bethlehem, she has a son and stays with her husband! She got better. People must not meet the
same Ruth. She got better. Awaken the Ruth in you. Be better.
Ruth was created to be a wife, a mother and a field owner, and to be better than seven sons. What
are you created to be? How far is the gap between what you are and what you were created to be?
If what you were created for needs you to study, how far are you with your studies? If what you
were created to be requires connections and relationships, how far are you from securing trust in
those relationships? Ruth got better.
Be better. Be a better child, be a better sibling; and be a better you. Not because you are competing
but because you have been fetched far in Moab. You were fetched from a place of dislocation, of
poverty and of death. You were brought to Bethlehem, a place of your location, of plenty and of
birth. Give birth to relationships, birth to businesses, birth to a son and birth to you.
Do not go back to poverty, you have been released. Do not go back to Moab, you have been
restored. Do not go back to being a gleaner, you have been rescued. Do not go back to being a
widow, you have been revived. Ruth got better. To think that she was actually instructed by Naomi
to go back to Moab and she didn’t, Ruth progressed from poverty to prosperity. She was the rightful
owner of the fields. You are the rightful owner of the fields. You are the rightful marriage partner.
And you are the rightful parent. Get better in all your areas of life: spiritual, relationships, finances
and health. Continue getting better. Key word is continuing. Continue showing kindness. Continue.
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Continue means you do it as before or better, but not less. Be better. She was once a foreigner, now
a native. She was once a widow, now a wife. Ruth got better.
It’s the 4th Industrial Revolution era. You need to get better and integrate technology into your life
and business. This will improve operations and obviously help drive growth of your work rate. You
communicate better with improved technology. You have better records with improved technology.
Think of just the spread sheet! It has formulae for average and other statistical measures to obtain
data analytics for your business. Embrace the 4IR. I recently placed an order on WhatsApp for forty
pairs of shoes. They sent me photos and even did a small video of them packaging and putting them
in a courier truck. I paid using a Bank App and sent them the proof of payment. The courier driver
knocked at my door a day after this purchase. All forty pairs delivered! I then sent messages to my
customers using different Apps; so that they come collect their nice shoes. They collected. Others
had cash and others paid using their Apps as I gave out my banking details.
Talk of 4IR! If you embrace the 4IR, you will have time for other aspects of growing your life. Be
better. Invest in technology. This means getting an expensive phone to get quality pictures for your
adverts. This means setting up a regularly checked e-mail. This means having profiles in LinkedIn,
Facebook, Twitter, and other networks. Join other businesses in the concept of hashtag themes. Use
digital adverts and posters. This means having a blog and writing regularly to connect with
customers. This means you can identify trends on sales, customers and profits using data analytics.
This will help in improving customer care, product enhancement, and other forms. Be relevant. Be
better.
Uber is living proof that technology has hit our shores. Alibaba.com and Amazon are proofs that we
are in an advanced technology era. Zoom video communication app hit the ground running during
the lockdown. Many companies had their employees working at home and they did so well in the
market. You may start other hustles that are influenced by the 4IR. Think of an Uber which strictly
deals with people attending night clubs and taverns. This is an era where people should leave their
rides at home and call this form of transport to take them to a night club. This will prevent a lot of
road accidents caused by drunken drivers. It will also help in the cases of women raped because they
were afforded alcohol. This also means night club owners can build a nice place without worrying
about parking space. Cars are stolen in entertainment venues. This may help reduce car theft and
other forms of crimes. Embrace the 4IR! Be better!
Technology will help you in customer relationship management and marketing. Technology will help
you in communicating. This means sending marketing e-mails, knowing the customers’ interests and
needs, and improving customers’ experiences in your shop or place of hustling. Technology is a
necessity in business. Business transactions get better with technology. Security systems get better
with improved technology. Think of the idea of a speed point! People don’t need to carry cash
around. We are living using plastic money. Recently we have seen people using their phones to buy
as they scan the phone, without the card. There are now virtual cards. People will be interested in
buying using these technologies. I have seen a lot of businesses losing a lot of money because they
don’t offer speed points and customers are not carrying cash with them. Embrace technology. Be
relevant with time.
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Jesus said he had better testimony than John and cited that the testimony was his teachings and
miracles. He spoke about this in John 5:36. Jesus had better testimony than John. One had to look in
the previous chapters to find out what were those teachings and miracles that Jesus spoke about:
1. John 2: Jesus turned water into wine. The people of Cana confessed that the wine was better
than any other wine they had in that wedding celebration. Wine represents doctrine
(teachings). People must receive better teachings.
2. John 3: Jesus taught Nichodemus that there is better birth than being born from your mother.
He spoke of birth by water. Jesus spoke of this because they had asked about eternal life. For
them to reach that destination, they had to have better birth. People must have better birth.
3. John 4: Jesus met the woman of Samaria near the well (water) of Jacob. He asked for water
and the woman declined. Jesus taught the woman that he had better water than the water in
the well of Jacob. He emphasized that whoever drink this water will never thirst. People must
drink better water.
4. John 5: Jesus met a man who has been sick for years and lay on the porch near the pool of
Bethesda. We are told that an angel would come and stir the water and one person would be
healed. This man had stayed for 38 years and someone always entered the pool faster than
him. Then Jesus came, and healed this man. He is the greatest Physician. People must get
better healing.
In business or work, be better than your competition. Competition means businesses that are selling
similar services or products with you with the goal of market share growth and making profit.
Competition is good and healthy for business. The rivalry is not to create enemies but to keep you on
your toes with innovation and working hard to ensure you are always ahead. The idea is to be better.
You cannot continue cooking bad-tasting food yet there are people who are cooking the same food.
You must take pictures better than other photographers. You must decorate better than other
decorators. You must build better than other bricklayers. Remember, one bank offered notifications
through cell phones. What happened? Banks saw that customers would leave to this bank and they
offered the same service. Today the banking world has evolved in that you seldom go to the bank.
You remember the issue of callback by phone network providers? Every network had to join because
they were to lose customers. You must offer better than their customer satisfaction and marketing
strategies on promotions, prices, products and places.
You can have business in the same place as your competition, and ask yourself what is it that you are
doing better that will exceed the expectations of your customers? Do you have discounts or better
repaying plan? Do you have regular sales? But bear this in mind; you are not learning to be exactly
like them. You are learning to be better than them. You can’t be a “me too company”. If you copy
everything from an established company, do you think they will prefer you over a company that has
reputation? Learn but also create your own brand. Tell your story. People like buying a story. Pour
your soul into your hustle. Pour yourself into your hustle. Ruth had a story. She poured herself into
gleaning. She was a foreign widow. She was poor and was staying with her mother-in-law. She had
no son. That was her story. What is your story? I have noticed that most young people do a lot of
things without intent. They don’t know why they do certain things. They have sex without
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understanding that there is a spiritual connection to this. I have established a speaking company
called Gome Communications. My slogan is Intent Matters. My story is I established this to let
everyone know that everything you do, intent matters. Why do you always wake up in the morning?
What is your story? Colonel Saunders of KFC had a story! What is your story?
Apart from noticing what your competitor is doing, you also need to note what they don’t do. This
will help you fill that gap in the market. This will make you highlight the difference between you and
your competitor. You may find that you are acquiring the products in a more ethical way. From your
competitors you will notice that you have an opportunity to simplify your business. Many businesses
do not have a clear message. They are selling a lot and changing now and then. Think of a shack that
selling cow head, yet when you arrive at the shack they tell you they don’t serve the cow head for
that day but they have wings. And this can happen for like four consecutive days. What is your
message? Sell your message. Simplify your message. There are many businesses without a single
coherent message. I understand you may diversify your businesses but not your message. Your
business can only be a known brand if it communicates a strong message. Remember, a customer
may leave you for your competitor or leaves your competitor for you. You need to know why. This
will help you understand the shift in needs and any adjustments that you need to do. Your eyes will
be opened to improvement. The competitor may inspire you to come up with an idea for your
business. Hustlers, in a nutshell, there are two things you are coping: you are learning what your
competitor is doing and what your competitor is not doing. But do not take your eyes off your filed.
Focus on getting your field to be better than everyone else’s field.
What you have must make you better. The gifts and skills you have acquired must make you better.
The education and knowledge that you possess must make you better. The relationships you have
must make you better. What do you have that makes you better? Aaron carried a staff in his hands
and it was better than what Pharaoh had. When it became a snake, Pharaoh called his wise men,
sorcerers and magicians to take their own staffs and throw them down and they become snakes but
the one of Aaron swallowed all of them. Aaron had something better in his hands. The staffs of
Aaron and Moses freed their brothers from slavery. What slavery are your brothers in? This
generation is a slave of drugs, alcohol, pornography, prostitution, theft, suicide, foul language,
amongst many. The staff of Moses paved the water and opened the Red Sea. It paved the way to
success. What you have must pave the way to success. Ruth used what she had to pave her way to
prosperity. What you have must pave a better way for you. The staff of Moses had a hook that was
used to pull sheep when they went astray or were in danger. What you have must give you a better
and safe life. What you have must help you not go astray. The staff helped in fighting the Amalekites.
The Amalekites attacked the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land. They attacked the
vulnerable as they attacked those who remained at the back. They included the elders, the crippled
and women and children. The enemy comes only to steal, kill and destroy. On this day, Moses raised
his staff and the Israelites were victorious. The enemy attacks your weakness. What you have must
give you victory against what wants to destroy you.
There is something interesting that we need to pick up about the fight with the Amalekites. Joshua
was commanded by Moses to choose men and fight the Amalekites. Joshua did what Moses
commanded him. We are told that Moses, Aaron and Hur climbed the nearest hill. Moses held his
staff high and his arms got tired. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had an
advantage but when he held his hands down the Amalekites got the advantage. Aaron and Hur
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helped him to hold his hands high so that the staff will remain high and the Israelites would be
victorious. For any person to be better in his life, one must take a position that allows him to have an
advantage. Moses, Aaron and Hur climbed to the nearest hill. Ruth went to the fields. When she was
in the fields, she had an advantage. For any person to be better in his life there should be a potential
for success. As long as the hands of Moses were held high, there was potential for victory. As long as
Ruth went to the fields of Boaz, there was a potential of progressing. For any person to be better in
his life, there are people who should participate. Aaron and Hur participated in helping Moses and
Joshua was victorious. Naomi, the harvest foreman, and the men from the gates participated so Ruth
would be prosperous. For any person to be better in his life, there are people who should be
persistent. Aaron and Hur persisted for Joshua to be victorious. Naomi persisted for Ruth to be
prosperous.
What you have in your hands is not for destroying you or others. What you have in your hands is for
you and others to live. Ruth had barley in her hands for her and Naomi to live. No matter how small,
what you have must help you get continuously better. The poor widow had oil that may have
seemed not enough. But the oil was poured in many containers and it never ran out until there were
no containers. The widow progressed from being poor to a business woman as she sold the oil after
paying her debt. No matter how unimportant, what you have must help you get continuously better.
The jaw of the donkey was thrown away. Samson took the jaw and used it to kill 1 000 Palestine
men. He obtained a better victory with something that seemed unimportant. No matter how
laughable; what you have must help you get continuously better. The stones were lying near the
river with no use. Goliath laughed at David when he carried five stones to fight him. The stones gave
David victory. Choose to carry in your hands what will prosper you, no matter how other people look
at it. Choose what will continuously make you better.
Choosing quality over everything makes you better. Quality means you have met minimum
standards to satisfy the needs of customers. It is unfortunate that each individual defines quality and
it may differ from person to person. But there is a degree to which each product or service may
meet or exceed the expectation of customers. Choose a quality product or service. Whether you are
selling food, clothes, books, or cars; their quality will add more value to your business. What you
show on the photos must be what customers see with their naked eyes. You cannot disappoint after
having created expectations. As a business person, the idea is to ensure that costs are not higher
than profit. Choose quality employees. Ruth had quality. Choosing quality will save you money. If
you sell quality stuff and you have quality staff; customers will be satisfied and your market share
will increase. Choosing quality shows that you care for your customers not to make profit. Would
you buy many shoes to sell them at R400 and buy a few higher quality shoes to sell them at R400
also? This means even you as a person; it’s wise to buy one item with quality than many with lower
quality. It’s better to have one Ruth than many lazy employees.
I know people like to pay less. But people who understand the issue of quality vs. quantity will never
compromise quality. There is depth in quality and there is shallowness in quantity. This mentality of
buying more stuff of lower quality than one good quality stuff; stretches to other aspects of life. You
may want to have many friends and that list is full of gossipers, backstabbers and liars. People who
understand quality will ignore the price to focus on quality. If you are in business, you must sell
things that can be inherited. Imagine someone driving a car that was bought by his father in the year
1995 and is still maintained well in 2020! People are not going to support you because you are black
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or come from their neighbourhood. They want quality. We can’t sympathize using our money.
Choose selling quality shoes means the buyer will not spend time getting in and out of shoes makers.
As much as you are required to offer quality service or product, you will also need your suppliers to
offer the same. You are competing with established brands. I sell casual shoes. I usually get a call
from someone asking what the name of the brand is and if the shoes are strong. I know one thing,
they are quality shoes.
For engineers, quality means assurance of compliance to regulatory and statutory regulations. There
are specifics that are expected in food industries. You will be visited by inspectors to check food
quality and hygiene. For you to offer quality, you need to identify your niche. You can’t be a jack of
all trades. Ruth was a gleaner. If you are in construction, what are you constructing? If you are in
agriculture and farming, what animals are you breeding? You can be a pig farmer only. You can sell
fries (fish and Russians) only. Quality in the clothing industry means less rejects. Every business
needs less customer complaints and returns. People don’t return items because they need their
money back, but they return items because the quality is lower than what they were told. That is
why words such as warranty and guarantee are used when purchasing. This is an assurance of
quality. For you and your employees to offer quality, you must allow training and empowerment.
You must be empowered to deliver quality service. You must be empowered to be competent and
have an impact. And if people are doing well for your business, they must be rewarded. Being
rewarded can be monetary or even be a promotion. If you consider yourself the growing hustler,
choose quality over everything. Ruth was rewarded by Boaz. Ruth was continuously better. Be
better.
She got better with the people she surrounded herself with. She started with Naomi, then the
harvest foreman, then Boaz. All these people were relevant to her progress to the next level.
She got better with her willingness to change. She changed beliefs, she changed a place to stay, and
she changed from being unemployed to the field owner. She continuously changed as she gathered
knowledge and faith. She got better in her willingness to change, that even the women of town saw
she was better.
She got better with being noticed. From being noticed by Boaz in the field as a gleaner, through
being noticed by Boaz in the threshing floor, here we see the women of town noticing that she was
better.
She got better with belonging. When Boaz asked to whom Ruth belonged, at that time she only had
Naomi to account to. Today she has a husband, she has a child, she has in-laws and she has
employees.
She got better with working hard. She worked as a gleaner and continued to work hard towards
taking care of Naomi. She worked hard to obtain a husband.
She got better with focusing. She focussed on the fields where she was gleaning. She focussed on
Boaz and did not go around sleeping with younger men. She waited on Boaz and tried to settle the
matter.
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She got better with having restrictions. She had restrictions in the field; she was also not touched by
any man. Even Boaz commended her for her restrictions.
She got better with helping herself. Ruth continued helping herself as she washed herself to meet
Boaz in the threshing floor. She continued helping herself as she arrived at the gate to become a
wife.
She got better with humbleness. She was humble as her mother-in-law told her what to do and
continued with humbleness when Boaz said he will look into the matter.
She got better with being thankful. She continuing being thankful to Boaz at the threshing floor
when Boaz offered her six measures of barley.
She got better with acknowledging being foreign. Ruth had no problem being announced as a
foreign woman who came with Naomi from Moab. She was introduced like that even to the men at
the gate. She knew she was foreign and it worked to her advantage in many ways.
She got better with being kind. Ruth continued bringing food to Naomi to take care of her and she
answered her kindly when Ruth came back from Boaz. Some of us would have answered harshly, but
Ruth continued to be kind.
She got better with having closure. She was moving levels up and looked for closure in every level.
Naomi was comforting her, and Boaz comforted her better as they had time alone in the threshing
floor.
She got better with having a teachable spirit. She was taught by Boaz and later by Naomi and she
listened and was willing to learn. Let people teach and re-teach you. Let people mentor you and re-
mentor you.
She got better with getting better. Ruth was a better daughter, mother and wife. Ruth was a better
producer. Ruth was a better entrepreneur.
Be continuously better.
115

Awaken The Ruth in You

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Awaken the Ruth in You Emmanuel Sthembela Jiyane

Thank you to the Bible Society of South Africa.

Mrs Thabsile Nene

Mr ES kaGome Jiyane @2020

Ruth 1:14c “But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi”

6. Fairness: Treatment or behaviour without favouritism or discrimination. It is good to practice

Ruth 2:5b “Who does she belong to?”

Ruth 2:8d “Do not go to any other fields”

Let us look at what Scriptures revealed to me about our five senses:

Focus on the following:

Ruth 2:9b “I have warned young men not to touch you”

You must have restrictions.

Ruth 2:10a (i) Ruth fell at his feet

Here are some of the characteristics of a humble person:

Ruth 2:10a (ii) and thanked him warmly.

Ruth 2:10c “I am only a foreigner”

God says love foreigners as you love yourself.

Ruth says “I am only a foreigner”.

Ruth 2:13b “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me”

MOAB ⟶ BETHLEHEM ⟶ FIELDS CLOSURE BOAZ’S HOUSE

You cannot become a victor with a mentality of a victim.

Closure means you can restart.

Closure is not about time but is timely.

HAVE A TEACHABLE SPIRIT

Ruth 3:5 “I will do everything you say” Ruth replied

Have a teachable spirit.

In a world that is subjected to gender violence, be better.

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