His love and timing are perfect in every way. The path He has chosen for you is amazing and perfect in every way. When I hear this and think about someone who has run headfirst with this idea, I think of Ruth. I’m sure many do.
A woman of faith.
Ruth was a woman of faith and loyalty. So much so that, when Naomi told her and Orpah, her daughters-in-law, to go back to their homes (Ruth 1) after all of the men of the family had passed away, Ruth said no. As Naomi wallowed in her self-pity of “no one cares”, “God has forsaken me”, and “God doesn’t care”, Ruth remained loyal to her. She even went as far as to say that Naomi’s God would now be her God. This little detail is important because it tells of the change God can put in people. Ruth was a Moabite who worshipped a god called Chemosh. You see, Ruth’s love for Naomi was so great that she was willing to give up everything that she knew, everything that was familiar, to be with her mother-in-law. Sound familiar?
Jesus gave up everything familiar to Him, such as His home, and His job, to start His three-year-long ministry. Then He gave up His life for us. Why? Love. Coincidentally, Jesus came from the line of Ruth.
Stay faithful to one another.
Ruth stayed faithful to Naomi just as God has stayed faithful to us. Ruth saw in Naomi the work of God. Naomi believed that God was troubling her but Ruth believed that God was blessing her. Naomi had completely given up but Ruth saw that there was more to the story.
Throughout the book of Ruth, Ruth teaches us at least three things.
1) Do what you know is right.
From the beginning, Ruth knew that the right thing to do was to remain with her grieving mother-in-law. When someone you love is going through a hard time, the right thing to do is to be with them and speak love and life over them.
2) Remain humble as God continues to bless you.
Ruth married the wealthy man, Boaz. Boaz was also a man that saw her as a blessing in his life. He called her a noblewoman, which later on would characterize the woman of Proverbs 31. The Lord blessed Ruth with not only financial security but also a loving husband who saw her worth and she remained humble throughout.
3) Don’t settle for the familiar.
Ruth was given the choice by Naomi to go home, go back to her family, homeland, religious practices, saying, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me.” (Ruth 1:8) Ruth refused, saying, “Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” (Ruth 1:16)
The book of Ruth is a lesson for us that God is working in even the smallest and most mundane things. I love the phrase “God works in mysterious ways” because we never know what He is actually doing. We just sit back and enjoy the ride. He is taking us somewhere that is beyond our wildest dreams. All we have to do is trust in Him and put Him first. Put God first the way Ruth put Naomi first.
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Read also: Live like Jesus. Love like Jesus.
