“Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech. One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.” Naomi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.” So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.”
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Ruth‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT

This passage is an interesting one. The implication is clear that God was directing Ruth and Naomi’s journey, but the term, “as it happens,” has come to be associated with the idea of chance. But in truth, that phraseology literally means to point out that there are things, which are seeming coincidences, that regularly occur enough to be seen as a pattern. When we encounter this phrase, we are meant to view it, not as ordinary, but rather as extraordinary. As it happens, Ruth was gleaning from the field of Boaz. As it happens, he was a relative of her late father-in-law. This is significant for the rest of the story, but it also points out that the story is a directed one. In Ruth’s case, it seems to just work out by chance, but the reader is to know that God is at work here. This is a point that we ought to acknowledge in our own storytelling. We ought to pull the narrative threads together for the reader to understand God’s handiwork. It should be that they expect that God’s providence is what happens. A consistent phraseology should be that “God provides.” In this case, we must see that God provided for Ruth to be gleaning this particular field at this particular time. This is true of whatever field we are gleaning as well.

God’s Guidance: God was directing Ruth and Naomi’s journey, even though the phrase “as it happens” suggests chance.

Significance of “As It Happens”: The phrase “as it happens” highlights seemingly coincidental events that are actually part of a divine pattern.

Storytelling and God’s Providence: Storytellers should emphasize God’s providence and handiwork, using phrases like “God provides” to highlight divine intervention.