Facebook groups are awesome.
A normal occurrence, no matter what kind of group you are part of, is for someone to post details about their complicated or tricky situation and then ask for advice.
Can you imagine if Ruth posted her situation and asked for advice from a Facebook group?!
I’m sure she’d get comments like
“Your mother-in-law sounds so sweet! Give her a big hug and say goodbye!”
“Set your boundaries. Being homeless and starving isn’t something you should ever settle for.”
“You realize you will have NOTHING if you go with her, right? Why is this even a question?!”
It made absolutely no logical sense for a widowed woman to accompany another widowed woman, especially when the younger could return to her home and find care and sustenance.
But Ruth chose to stay with Naomi and travel back to Bethlehem.
Why?
It was basically a death sentence.
Or at least a wish to be poor and starving forever.
Ruth explained, “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God”. (Ruth 1:16)
Here, Ruth reveals that she is completely converted to the God of Israel.
She’s all in.
I don’t think she ever would have actually asked for advice in a Facebook group anyways.
It wasn’t an option, no matter how reasonable it seemed, to stay behind. To return to her old life. Old traditions.
To just pretend that this whole thing had never happened.
Ruth couldn’t do that.
She was too converted, and she was willing to endure whatever hardships came her way as a result.
What conviction!
What commitment.
What love.
Where is our conversion to the Lord?
Will we follow Him anywhere He takes us?
Even when it doesn’t make sense. Even when everyone on Facebook would tell us it’s ridiculous.
Why did Ruth go with Naomi?
And why do you stay with the Lord?
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
