Today we will focus on the character of Ruth. Try
to read today’s passages through her eyes.
READ: Ruth
1:6-18, 2:6; 3:6-18; 4:11-12
Ruth is an excellent character. She really is like
the woman of noble character that her great-great-grandson, Solomon, will one
day write about (Proverbs 31). To have nobility is to have moral excellence, to
be worthy of honour and respect; a noble person is one of love, sacrifice and
humility. We see these things in Ruth.
Next to the brokenness and bitterness of Naomi in
chapter 1 stands the nobility of Ruth. While Orpah kisses her mother-in-law
goodbye, Ruth clings to her, showing
her loyalty and devotion. In selfless sacrifice and faithful commitment, she
pledges herself to Naomi entirely – her life, death, home and religion. By
refusing to go home, Ruth was signing a contract to a difficult fate. She was abandoning her own father and mother
and the security of their provision in order to care for her lost
mother-in-law. She illustrates well the kindness that is a key theme throughout
the story – in humility and love she willingly lays down her rights in order to
serve Naomi.
But Ruth’s kindness extends beyond a commitment to
support her mother-in-law. In marrying Boaz instead of a younger or wealthier
man (see 3:10) Ruth is showing kindness to her dead husband and his family. By
marrying a close relative of Mahlon, Ruth would be able to carry on her
husband’s name, something that was very important in ancient culture. We see
again a humble, selflessness in Ruth.
Ruth is one of two women to have a book of the
Bible named after her, and is one of four mentioned in the genealogy of Christ.
Like Rahab before her, Ruth was a foreigner who became an Israelite through her
commitment to Yahweh. But before she was even one of God’s people, Ruth was
clay in His hands. He created her with a heart of kindness and compassion and
through this, He brought her to Himself. By leaving her land and calling
Naomi’s God her own, Ruth was abandoning the idols of Chemosh and Molech and
embracing Yahweh as her God. We aren’t told anything outright about her relationship
with Yahweh after chapter 1, but we see her righteous character throughout. We
also know her to be the great-grandmother of David. By ending the story with
the news that the union of Ruth and Boaz resulted in a godly king for Israel,
we are led to see Ruth and Boaz as strong spiritual influencers who, through
their righteousness and commitment to Yahweh, left a legacy that produced a man
after God’s own heart.
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1. What do you see in Ruth’s character that is
admirable? Ask God to show you a quality you possess that He loves to see in
you.
2. Where is God evident in Ruth’s story, even in
portions where He is unmentioned? How is He at work throughout her life? Take
some time to reflect on God’s hand in your own life. Ask Him to show you
something new – to show you a time when He was at work even though you didn’t
notice it.
3. Ask God to show you a quality you possess that
He loves to see in you.
4. What is one godly characteristic that the Lord
is asking you to intentionally work on today? Ask Him to help you to be like
Him in this area.
