莉亞端著她的漢堡套餐走向一張空桌。當她吃著漢堡的時候，她留意到一個年輕男子坐在離她不遠的餐桌。他的衣服髒兮兮，頭髮也亂糟糟，他緊抓著一個空紙杯，顯然是餓壞了。莉亞該怎麼幫助他呢？直接給他一些錢似乎並不明智。如果買一份套餐給他，會讓他感到難堪嗎？

此時，莉亞想起聖經中路得的故事。富有的地主波阿斯，邀請路得這個來自摩押的窮寡婦繼續在他的田裡撿麥穗。波阿斯還吩咐僕人善待路得，說：「她就是在捆中拾取麥穗，也可以容她，不可羞辱她。並要從捆裡抽出些來，留在地下任她拾取，不可叱嚇她」（路得記2章15-16節）。在那個女性必須完全依賴男性才能存活的文化中，波阿斯展現了上帝慈愛的供應。最後，波阿斯娶了路得，贖回她夫家的土地並讓她夫家的名不至在族中被刪除（4章9-10節）。

最後，當莉亞起身離開時，她一邊與那名男子對望，一邊將一包自己完全沒碰過的薯條放在旁邊的桌子上。如果他飢餓難忍，應該就會拾取莉亞所留下的食物。聖經中的故事顯明了上帝的心意，並提供具有創意的解決問題之道。

Maria carried her fast-food lunch to an empty table. As she bit into her burger, her eyes locked on those of a young man seated several tables away. His clothes were soiled, his hair hung limply, and he clutched at an empty paper cup. Clearly, he was hungry. How could she help? A gift of cash seemed unwise. If she bought a meal and presented it to him, might he be embarrassed? 

Just then Maria remembered the story of Ruth where Boaz, a wealthy landowner, invited the impoverished immigrant widow to glean from his fields. He ordered his men: “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her” (Ruth 2:15–16). In a culture where women were utterly dependent on their connection to men for survival, Boaz demonstrated God’s loving provision. Eventually, Boaz married Ruth, redeeming her from her serious need (4:9–10). 

As Maria rose to leave, she placed her untouched packet of fries on a nearby table, meeting the man’s eyes as she did so. If he was hungry, he might glean from her “fast-food field.” God’s heart is revealed in the stories of Scripture as they illustrate creative solutions to encourage.