In Ruth 1, a young Moabite woman decides to leave the comfort and security of her country and convert to Judaism (‘you’re God will be my God’ – v. 16). People usually immigrate looking for a better life. Yet Ruth is told that moving to Judah would not result in prosperity (v. 11-15). So why did she become an asylum seeker in one of the most racist countries in the ancient world?
The answer is love; yet not Ruth’s love for Naomi, but Naomi’s love for Ruth. You see Naomi had lost her husband, her 2 sons, her land, and therefore any prospect of actually surviving in the ancient world (i.e. no welfare). The only thing Naomi had left were her two daughters-in-law.
Yet in v. 8, Naomi urges them to return to their families, in order to have a better life. And this is what changes Ruth! Ruth knows she and Orpah are all Naomi has. Yet Naomi is more interested in Orpah and Ruth’s wellbeing than her own. She is willing to give up the last good thing in her life (her daughters-in-law), to give her daughters-in-law a better life. While the text isn’t explicit, Ruth then says to herself; ‘I want to follow the God who creates disciples such as this’.
Jesus did the same thing for his people; only to the extreme. He gave up everything, so that his people might have a prosperous life (i.e. enjoy ‘life to the full’ in this world, and Heaven in the next). Being told about this love in sermons is one thing; but experiencing it from Christians, in the way Ruth experienced it from Naomi, is what really melts people’s hearts. So let’s follow Naomi’s example and show Christ-like love to all, and watch people’s hearts melt for Christ.
