Scripture:
“But Naomi replied, ‘Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord himself has raised his fist against me.’
And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. ‘Look,’ Naomi said to her, ‘your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.’
But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!’ When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.” Ruth 1:11-18 (NLT)
Perspective:
Naomi had lost her husband and two sons. She was returning to Israel from Moab, and her two daughter-in-laws wanted to go with her. One decided to return home, but the other one, Ruth, wouldn’t let Naomi travel without her. These two women had been through blessing and heartache together. It seemed that Ruth would have been better off to return to her family. Yet, Ruth wasn’t willing to let her friendship with this woman die. She had apparently become so much more to her than a mother-in-law. Ruth and Naomi were friends, and she wasn’t willing to let that go.
How far would you be willing to go for a friend? We are highly connected in our digital age. Our lists of friends on social media accounts grow by the day. Yet, true friendships are few and far between. There are probably only a handful of people that you would drop everything to help. It’s in our very nature to crave connection, but we can get very busy with “life” that the most important relationships and friendships in our lives can fall to the side. Developing deep, meaningful friendships are important; people that will weather the storms of life with you are a gift from the Lord. Ruth proved to be more than a friend to Naomi; she was part of redeeming her heartbreak and loss. God knows what we need and will often send friends to walk beside us through the seasons of life. Be willing to go the distance when God sends you true friends.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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About Hona Amer
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