Several women in the Bible give us very precious lessons on faith and life. Some of them aren't leaders in society, but are simple people who left a mark in Biblical history.
One of them, a woman named Ruth, gives us valuable lessons on faith. Who is she and what can we learn from her?
The woman from Moab
Ruth is a Moabite daughter-in-law to an Israelite named Naomi (see Ruth 1:4). She was the wife of one of Naomi's sons.
Naomi lived with her husband and sons in the land of Moab when she lost all of them. All that was left with her were her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and another Moabite named Orpah.
In her sad state, Naomi decided to send her daughters-in-law home as their husbands were already dead. She also decided to return home to Judah.
In the end, Orpah went home but Ruth stayed.
The famous declaration
This is how Ruth came to be recorded as a person of faith in the Bible: her decision to stay with Naomi, and what she said when she stayed with her.
"But Ruth said:
"Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:16-17)
Ruth's declaration is perhaps one of the boldest declarations of love, loyalty, and faith.
With her words she comforted the hurting Naomi, declaring that she would commit to the God of Israel, and always take care of this Israelite widow - something that God wanted (see 1 Timothy 5:3).
The woman who would become David's own great grandmother
As we read all four chapters of the book of Ruth, we read the account of this woman's bravery and love for Naomi. And we read how God rewarded her for her love: by giving her a respected man for a husband. This man's name was Boaz.
What's so special about this?
Boaz is recorded in the Bible as the father of Obed, who happens to be the father of Jesse, who happens to be the father of the young man every Christian loves: David. (see Ruth 4:14-22)
And so we understand that Ruth, a Moabite who loved Naomi, became grafted into the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Matthew 1:1-16).
What can we learn from this?
There are a few things we can learn from Ruth's life. Here are but a few of them:
1) Your history or lineage should not dictate your future
Ruth was a Moabite, was a widow, and was a foreigner in Israel. Yet, God secured her future when she chose to make Naomi's God her God. He can do that to us, too.
2) Your decision to follow God and honor Him is what matters
Ruth simply decided to make Naomi's God her God and followed that up with her lifestyle. God honored it very handsomely.
Do we truly follow God with our lives, not just with our words?
3) God's plans for us are bigger than our plans for ourselves
Ruth was probably content to take care of Naomi. She likely did not expect to marry Boaz, be included in the lineage of David and the Lord Jesus, and be honored in Biblical history as a remarkable woman.
But God did all of that. This simply means that His plans for us are far greater than what we can ever think, hope for, and imagine.
Isn't He great and worthy of all praise?
