Ruth’s Loyalty

As mentioned in the previous chapter, Ruth accompanied Naomi to Bethlehem. Despite the fact that Ruth could have stayed in her home land of Moab with her own parents, she chose to remain by her unfortunate mother-in-law instead. Ruth 1:15-16 reads:

“Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back 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”

In the passage above, Naomi encouraged Ruth to leave her, just as her sister-in-law did, and return to her own home. Although this may have been the easier choice, and one that most others might have gone along with, Ruth decided otherwise. She decided to live with her mother-in-law in a foreign land because of her loyalty and integrity.