Ruth 1:15-18
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
Proverbs 31:25
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
SOAP: Ruth 1:16,17
The decision to not return to Moab was a defining moment for Ruth. She shows incredible strength of character here by choosing to not take the easy way out. Ruth had no idea what was to come, but she steps completely forward toward a new future. She not only makes a commitment to honor Naomi, but she breaks from the pagan heritage of her past and places her loyalty with Jehovah God.
Every day we are faced with choices. We can choose what will serve our own selfish interests, or we can show strength of character and surrender our rights to serve others and honor God. Small steps of obedience today will make an eternal difference tomorrow. Let’s choose wisely.
Lord, we want to honor You with the choices that we make. Help us to not take the easy way out, but to turn from selfishness and serve You by loving and honoring those in our circle of influence. Amen.
The timing sometimes of how God speaks is to us shows his intamacy with us. I’ve been struggling with a friendship feeling unseen with a dear friend and putting my needs above hers. This was poiniant for putting down my selfish desires and spending time being s friend to her.