Today’s scripture: Ruth 1 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Brent Walsh):
The tale of Ruth and Naomi is a great story. If you get a chance, read the whole book — it’s only four chapters.
Here’s a summary of chapter one:
- A family (a husband, wife and two sons) moves from Bethlehem in Judah to Moab to escape a famine. In our day and age, it could be compared to moving to a distant city to find work.
- After they move the man dies, and the woman, Naomi, is left with her two sons who marry Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth.
- After about ten years in Moab, both the sons also die, and the women are left to fend for themselves. Since women in those days had few options, they were at risk of various types of abuse without a man to care for them.
- The women decide to head back to Bethlehem, since the famine was over.
- Once they are on their way, however, Naomi has second thoughts about the younger women coming with her. She urges her daughters-in-law to go back to their own families where they will surely be safe.
- Orpah takes her advice. Orpah might be criticized for her decision, but she really did make the more logical choice. Ruth, on the other hand, threw caution to the wind and refused to turn back.
So in the story of Ruth and Naomi, we find two women who have lost everything but each other. The difference between them is that Naomi is nearing the end of her life, and Ruth still has her life stretched out before her. She can still remarry and have children of her own, but Naomi would be lucky to find anyone to marry her or care for her now. Maybe that is what Ruth was thinking about when she insisted on following Naomi back home.
I’m sure that Ruth’s feelings for Naomi were deep and complex, but maybe amidst it all, she wanted to provide her with the most basic of human needs — security and companionship. In order to provide those things, Ruth had to leave her homeland and, as a young single woman, risk her own security. Her decision to follow Naomi involved sacrifices that we may not fully understand.
Have you ever had a “Naomi” in your life? The circumstances may be different, but the basic human elements are the same. Maybe it’s the elderly man down the street who lost his wife, and whose kids are too busy to care about him. Maybe it’s someone in your church who just lost her job, and doesn’t know where the mortgage is going to come from. Maybe it’s a parent or in-law who, like Naomi, thinks that God has forsaken her in her old age.
If you find yourself in the position of Ruth, you must decide how much you are willing to sacrifice for the sake of someone else’s sense of security or companionship. Can you give up a Saturday afternoon to go fishing with the man down the street? For the woman who just lost her job, can you help her create a resume or apply for financial aid? Can you offer a ride to church to the parent or in-law who is looking for a sign that God is still there?
You don’t have to have wealth or influence to help someone in need. When we read about Ruth, we might be tempted to view her as a hero for her selfless actions. And indeed, her acts of love toward Naomi put her in that category. But remember, Ruth was also in a desperate place. She was just a single woman who had also lost everything, but she looked beyond herself to care for another human being who had been dealt a hard hand. There is no reason the story of Ruth and Naomi can’t be played out in your town, your neighborhood, your family. . . your life.
Thought for the day: Who do I know who needs security and companionship? How can I provide shelter?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.