Ruth tells the story of Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi. It’s a love story, telling us of Ruth’s love for Naomi, Boaz’s love for Ruth, and God’s love for us. I encourage you to read the book, just four short chapters, several times over the next few weeks, as we take a look at each of the main characters.
Ruth is a woman who shows her love and devotion through action. She was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, who was from Bethlehem but moved to Moab as the story opens. Her husband and both sons die soon after the book begins and Naomi decides to move back home. She urges her two daughters-in-law to stay in Moab, but Ruth refuses. She is determined to go with Naomi.
But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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 my God. - Ruth 1:16 ESV
What a beautiful declaration of love and loyalty this is!
Ruth lives this out in her relationship with Naomi. She always treats her mother-in-law with respect. She works hard gleaning in Boaz’ field to provide for Naomi and herself. Ruth willingly obeys Naomi when she instructs her to go to Boaz in the middle of the night, a very strange thing to tell her to do. This respect, care, and obedience show us Ruth’s love in action.
And she [Ruth] replied, "All that you say I will do." - Ruth 3:5 ESV
In many ways, Ruth is a picture of the woman described in Proverbs 31:10-31. And her actions don’t go unnoticed.
But Boaz answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!" - Ruth 2:11-12 ESV
Now, I don’t want to live so that people tell me how great I am. But it is so encouraging when people see me living for the Lord. Boaz recognized this in Ruth, who responds to his attention with humility, displaying another godly characteristic.
I want to follow her example every day.
Think About: How can you follow Ruth’s example of loving devotion today?
P.S. God does give a pretty great reward to Ruth as Boaz says to Ruth 2:12. Ruth, a Gentile woman from an enemy country, becomes the great-great grandmother of David from whom Jesus descended. She’s one of only three women mentioned (with Tamar and Mary) in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-16).
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