Grace is a synonym for favour. So from our text it could be said that Ruth was going in search of grace. This woman of Moab conveys wonderful truths on the subject of grace. She did not need to be prodded by anyone to go look for what to do. Even though she was a stranger and the terrain was totally new to her, she decided to go and try her luck somewhere. Here is the first lesson: the grace of God does not cover ones laziness. Had Ruth sat at home, she would probably not meet Boaz, and the sequence of things that followed may have eluded her as well.

The grace of God does not cover one’s laziness…we should look up as if everything depends on grace; but then we must work as if everything depends on us. Except we put our hands to the plough we will be frustrating the grace of God.

Many believers like to hide behind the expression that they are trusting in the grace of God. But grace cannot produce in a vacuum; there must be something it will latch unto. Paul understood the mix very well. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (I Corinthians 15:10 NKJV). There has to be a balance between work and grace. We can borrow from the word of a missionary who said, he would pray as if everything depends on God; and then work as if everything depends on him. In our case, we should look up as if everything depends on grace; but then we must work as if everything depends on us. Except we put our hands to the plough we will be frustrating the grace of God.