Ruth "Friendship"

 "Loyalty Pays Off"

 Maryann Johnson

Ruth was a women who felt loss and tragedy. Her husband, brother-in-law and father-in- law were all dead. Ruth and her sister-in-law, Orpah, had a choice to make. Would they stay with Naomi, their mother-in-law, or would they return to their own country?

Naomi had zero to offer them. She had no more sons, no money and she was old. She hearkened her daughter-in-laws to leave her and go back home where they would be certain of a good life. Orpah did consent but Ruth swore on staying with Naomi. Ruth knew that without heavenly intervention her future looked unclear, but she vowed on being loyal to Naomi nevertheless. Ruth insisted she would not leave her, saying that she wanted to live in Naomi’s birthplace and to know and serve Naomi’s God (Ruth 1:16, 17).

Sometimes as people we choose comfort over commitment, but in the end we miss out on the best that God had for us. Ruth did not know what her future held, but she determined to be a woman of godly influence which includes faithfulness. Together Ruth and Naomi went through some lean and difficult times; however, they kept a good attitude, they were thankful for what little they did have, and God kept making special arrangements to bless them.

As it turned out, Naomi had a relative named Boaz who was very wealthy and also happened to be single. God gave Ruth favor with him by having him be her kinsman redeemer who took her had in marriage. Faithfulness led Ruth from poverty to abundance. Not only did God restore her life, He also allowed her to be a part of Jesus lineage.  Proverbs 28:20 states, "That a faithful person will abound with blessings." Being faithful means we will have to endure some difficulty along the way but as long as we stay the course, God will not forget about us.

We will encounter things that we would rather run away from, but if we wait patiently for the Lord, we will see his salvation in every situation.

Bible references: Ruth 2-4; Matthew 1:5

© 2015 by Maryann Johnson. All Rights Reserved.