Recently one of our sons invited family members to join him in reading the 27 shortest books of the Bible in 27 days – one book a day. And what I discovered (only on day 2 as of this writing) is that reading through a book in one sitting gives you a different perspective than reading it over a few days. Today’s short book was Ruth.
Ruth is mostly known for her famous words often spoken at weddings (even though these words were spoken to her mother-in-law): “Where you go I will go, and where 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.” (Ruth 1:16-17)
Before I focus on Ruth’s virtues, let me mention Oprah, who usually gets a bad rap for not accompanying her mother-in-law when she left Moab for Israel: As the story goes, Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons went to Moab because of a famine in Israel. Elimelech died, and the two sons married Moabite women. Unfortunately the sons eventually died, and Naomi, hearing that there was again food in Israel, decided to return to her homeland. Both daughters-in-law started out accompanying her, but Naomi urged them to return to their own “mother’s house” so that they may get married again. She says, “May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me (1:8). So there you have it, Oprah, as well as Ruth, had “dealt kindly” with their husbands and Naomi. Both daughters wept and said that they would come with her, but Naomi insisted that they didn’t. She thought it would be better if they stayed in their own country and married again. Oprah listened to her mother-in-law and left. There is no indication anywhere that she did wrong.
Ruth, however, clung to her mother-in-law and uttered those famous words and Naomi, seeing her determination, said no more. The two went to Israel. Once settled in Bethlehem, Ruth asked Naomi to let her glean in the fields (a provision God had made for the poor). She worked hard and provided for herself and her mother-in-law. Her reputation was excellent – the community had a high opinion of her as did their kinsman redeemer who later married her (2:11). She obeyed the directives of her mother-in-law and had the honour of becoming the great grandmother of King David, and ultimately had Yeshua for a descendant.
Ruth showed strength in her not taking “no” for an answer when Naomi was telling her to go back to her own people and her own gods. She showed strength in seeking to provide for herself and her mother-in-law and was a hard worker. I found myself wondering why she wanted to accompany her mother-in-law so badly. It seemed she really loved her. I wonder if she saw something in that Israelite family’s household that was different from her own culture that attracted her. Something that she wanted to continue to experience rather than going back to her people. “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (1:16). In Israel, she trusted what her mother-in-law told her to do with regard to going to Boaz at night and uncovering his feet, which resulting in Boaz marrying her. Ruth was obedient – I assume she considered that Naomi knew best. She was committed to doing things the Israelite way.
Isn’t that good? Enough with the concept of “cultural appropriation!” – Ruth, the Moabite woman, was welcomed into this family and eventually into Israelite society/culture. Let’s welcome people who wish to join our culture, or maybe certain aspects of it that they appreciate. I believe different cultures have good and bad, strengths and weaknesses. We can learn and share and be better for it.
One added thought: When I think of Ruth and her good reputation, it seems to me that she embodied a verse I read recently: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Something to aspire to.
