Ruth: The Light of Hope

“But Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave you,

Or to turn back from following after you;

For wherever you go, I will go;

And wherever 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.

The LORD do so to me, and more also,

If anything but death parts you and me.’” ~ Ruth 1:16-17

Two of the beautiful verses of the Book, the widow Ruth has been converted to the God of her late husband’s people. It is in this new relationship that she can go and live with her mother-in-law Naomi, and be a comfort to her as well. In times of great sorrow and pain, it is very easy to think of only ourselves; yet Ruth reached out to Naomi, who was also widowed but rendered childless and pretty much helpless, especially in those times.

The way we behave during the dark times, during the adversities, determines how long we remain in the darkness. If we wallow in sorrow and bitterness, then that much longer will we remain in the sorrow and bitterness. Ruth knew she needed to shine a glimmer of light for Naomi to see the hope she had lost.