And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. — Ruth 1:16
As many people read through the book of Ruth, they focus on the story of Ruth and Boaz. Certainly, that is an important and amazing story that we find in the Scripture. I think that often times the story of Naomi is overlooked in some aspects.
We learn early in the book of Ruth that her husband Elimelech died after they arrived in Moab. It says that her sons took wives in Moab, Orpah and Ruth, and that they continued there for 10 years. Then, Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, both died. Not only had Naomi lost a spouse, but she lost her sons. Scripture does not share anything else about Naomi’s family circumstances. It seems she was left alone.
There are many around us that find themselves in the same position. Whether losing family through sickness and death or through circumstances of life, I often have heard people share that they are alone. While we are often quick to say, “you are never alone you have God,” sometimes that comes across as just cliché.
When we hear of someone in those situations, many times it is someone that simply needs a Ruth in their life. Not someone specifically named Ruth, but someone that is willing to be there for them through whatever is happening. Ruth told Naomi here not to force her to leave. She was willing to go where she would go and stay where she stayed. Ruth knew that Naomi needed someone and was willing to give of herself so Naomi would not be alone.
When people look to us for help, they are not always looking for us to sacrifice our lives. They are simply looking for a few minutes of our time. When was the last time that you set aside some of your time to be a Ruth for someone in need? Our prayer should be that God would guide us to be sensitive to these situations and willing to sacrifice just a bit so that someone can feel loved. Sometimes you just need a Ruth in your life.
