In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in Israel. So a man named Elimelech, together with his wife Naomi, left their home in Bethlehem for the country of Moab. While they were in Moab, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi with her two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Hebrew names meaning Sicky and Icky (more or less).

And that they were. Like their father, Mahlon and Chilion died in Moab. But not before they married women from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. After ten years, Naomi heard that there was food again in Israel, so she set off for Bethlehem. Naomi urged her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab. “You belong with your people,” she said. “I don’t have any more husbands for you. Move back home.”

So Orpah said goodbye to Naomi, but Ruth clung to her. “Your people will be my people,” Ruth said, “and your God will be my God.” When they arrived back in Bethlehem, the whole town was excited to see Naomi. But she said, “Don’t call me Naomi [which means ‘pleasant’]. Call me Mara [which means ‘bitter’]. For the Lord has given me a rotten life.”

And it’s true. Naomi’s life looked pretty bleak. But when God gives you lemons, he may be preparing you some sweet tea.

God had a plan for their bitterness, and it started with Boaz. Boaz was a relative of Elimelech and a kind, generous man. When he saw Ruth picking up leftover crops in the field, Boaz looked after her. He saw that she had been good to Naomi, so he wanted to be good to her. He made sure she found plenty of crops to take home and that the men in the field were nice to her. Boaz even prayed that the Lord would spread his wings of refuge over Ruth.

All this kindness got Naomi thinking. “When Boaz is asleep,” she said to Ruth, “I want you to sneak in and lie down by his feet.” That’s exactly what Ruth did. And when Boaz woke up in the middle of the night, surprised to find a woman at his feet, she said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over me.” It was Ruth’s way of saying to Boaz, “You can be the answer to your own prayers.”

Boaz wanted to marry Ruth, but the law said there was another relative who had first dibs. The other man thought he might want to be the redeemer, but once he realized all he would have to do for Naomi and Ruth, he said, “No way, José!” (or whatever rhymes with “no way” in Hebrew).

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And together they had a son. Pretty sweet for them, and very sweet for bitter Naomi. And extremely sweet for God’s people. For that boy was Obed, who fathered Jesse, who fathered King David.