Ruth might be known as the best daughter-in-law ever. But the book of Ruth is about more than that.
Ruth and Naomi
Here’s a short summary of the book of Ruth in the Bible:
Naomi had moved to Moab with her family and lost everything, including her husband and two sons. After a while, she decided to return home to Judah. It must have been very sad for her to start the journey without her husband and sons. But she did have her two young daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. In those days they remained a part of her household, even though their husbands had died.
Somewhere along the way Naomi must have thought about how much the two girls were giving up when leaving their country. She tried to convince them to return to the homes of their mothers. At first both girls said no, but when Naomi insisted, Orpah decided to do so. She kissed Naomi goodbye and went home. But Ruth wouldn’t go back. She was committed to stay with her mother-in-law. “May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us,” she said to Naomi in Ruth 1:17 (NLT).
Two widows wouldn’t have had an easy life in those days, and they probably experienced hunger and poverty when they came to Judah. But they did have a rich relative, a man named Boaz, and Ruth went to his fields where the harvest was being taken in, to gather the leftover grain. Boaz noticed her there, and he had already heard of her love and care for Naomi. So he took her under his protection, allowed her to gather from his land, and gave her food to eat. In time, Boaz and Ruth were married.
Because of Ruth’s care and love for Naomi, and because she refused to turn back from what she knew was the path she should take, God blessed her greatly. She and Naomi went from being poor widows to a secure life. She also became the great-grandmother of King David, and in that way she was also an ancestor of Jesus Christ Himself. All of this we can read in the book of Ruth.
The book of Ruth and us
So how could this story mean something for our lives today?
We too have to make a decision to turn our backs on our old lives and start a new journey. God calls us and draws our hearts to Him, and we receive faith to start a new life. This means that we give up all of our own will, and whatever else God wants us to give up, anything that would stop us from following Jesus with our whole heart. "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple,” Jesus says in Luke 14:26 (NIV).
This looks like a lot to give up, but it doesn’t mean that we never visit our families; it just means that we don’t allow anything or anyone to keep us from following Jesus.
Just as Ruth may have been tempted to leave Naomi and go back home, Satan will try to get us to turn back to our old ways of living. But we must stand firm in our decision to be a faithful disciple. By faith our own will, feelings, and sinful desires are overcome as we follow Christ. What we’ve left behind will become like worthless trash to us when God opens our eyes to see the blessing that comes from following Jesus out of a love for Him.
“Those things were important to me, but now I think they are worth nothing because of Christ. Not only those things, but I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8 (NCV).
Trials, help, and the reward
We will meet trials as we follow Jesus. Maybe our trials aren’t outward trials such as Naomi and Ruth had, but we still have to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12) in order to do God’s will instead of our own selfish will. It is through these trials, which Peter describes as “being tested by fire”, that our faith becomes true and precious. That it “may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:7.
Ruth knew that they could get help from their relative. We too need to seek the relationship that will be of eternal benefit. A relationship with God, who has all power on heaven and earth, and who can share that power with us. Besides helping us in every possible way in this life, He also prepares a place for us in the life to come. Pray to Him, believe in Him, stay close to Him, get a close relationship with Him. He is our Friend and Helper and we can trust Him, in the biggest trials of life to the smallest daily matters.
Our trials are lighter when we know what the end result is. And what is the end result? If we are faithful, the result is a life full of joy and rest in God, a life of true riches where we experience Gods strength and power and are placed on a firm foundation. (1 Peter 5:10.) God will be able to use us in His ministry, we will be changed to become like Christ, our lives will be blessed on earth, and one day we will be together with our Lord and inherit all things together with Him for all eternity! Faithfulness rewards richly! (1 Peter 5:10; Romans 8:28-29; Romans 8:16-17.)