Ruth's Determination

Ruth 1

Have you ever had someone stick by your side through thick and thin,

good and bad? Someone who, even when you had nothing to offer them

back, still stayed with you by your side? If you have, then you have been

blessed, for many do not have those types of people in their lives. One needs

to learn from people like that and strive for the same qualities in their own

life.

We read in the previous story about how Naomi had asked her two

daughters-in-law to go back to their families after the death of their husbands,

which were Naomi’s sons. We read how Naomi, being a widow and childless,

felt that her daughters-in-law would be better off with their own families.

How Orpah reluctantly agreed, but Ruth however, was determined, as the

Bible says, to stay with Naomi.

In this story, we are going to concentrate on Ruth – the daughter -in-law

who chose to stay with Naomi. In Ruth chapter 1 starting in verse 16 we read

what Ruth had to say to Naomi when she told her to go home. “But Ruth

said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where

you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my

people and your God shall be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I

will be buried. Thus, may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death

parts you and me.’” When she saw that she was determined to go with her,

she said no more to her.

The rest of the story is only 3 chapters long, but there are many lessons to be

learned in those 3 chapters. One in particular is to learn that loyalty,

faithfulness and love are always the right course of action to take and that it

always pays off. You see, Naomi, out of her love for Ruth, tried to set her

free, to set her free for what she thought would be a better life for her. Naomi

believed that she had nothing to offer her and yet in the end Ruth proved to

be too determined for even Naomi to refuse. Ruth obviously, from reading

this story, loved Naomi much more than we know and yet there was also a

faithfulness and loyalty about Ruth that was ingrained in her that caused her

to react this way. Picture what was happening here in this story. Naomi had

nothing to give Ruth. She had no more sons, no money, no place to live, and

no answers as to how it would all work out. Naomi could not promise Ruth

one single thing and yet Ruth stayed with her. Ruth chose to make everything

that was relevant in Naomi's life a part of hers too, even her God. She

promised she would be there for Naomi even to the point of death. Wow,

now that is some kind of loyalty and faithfulness most of us, even on our best days, cannot produce.

This story ends with Ruth marrying a very wealthy man named Boaz who

was related to Naomi. Ruth and Boaz eventually had a child whom they

named Obed and who had the privilege of having Naomi as his nurse. Oh,

and on a side note, to prove how awesome God is, Ruth’s baby was the great

grandfather of King David! How’s that for being blessed!

You see, Ruth’s determination to see it through with Naomi proved to

be not only a blessing for Naomi, but for Ruth and future generations as well.

Together, they set off for a new city, with a lot of unanswered questions and

no doubt a lot of work, but God was faithful and loyal to the both of them,

especially to Ruth.

So, each of us needs to examine our hearts and lives and ask ourselves

what would our answer be? Would we be willing to stick by the side of

someone who seemed to have nothing to offer us? Someone who could be

looked at as a burden? Are we willing to go that extra mile and walk out an

amazing love-walk with them? Are we willing to be faithful in all things with

those we love? Are we willing to do whatever it takes to help those around us,

even if it means we give more than they do? If so, then we, like Ruth, will be

considered loyal and faithful. We will also, above all, be demonstrating the

love of Jesus Christ and that is what people are wanting to see. For that is

what makes the difference in a person’s life. That is what forces others to see

there is a God and He loves them.

So, take time today to think about those in your life and the ways in

which you can prove your loyalty and faithfulness to them. Be determined to

do it just as Ruth was determined in her relationship with Naomi!

From The Noble Woman Book by Gina Burns.