Meet Ruth
Loyalty in a story that should not have worked.
On faithfulness in an ordinary life.
The big idea
God writes big stories out of people who simply refused to leave.
Opening scripture
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for hard times.”
What does “Meet Ruth” walk through?
A Friend At All Times
Proverbs 17:17 · KJV
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
In plain English
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for hard times.
She Had Every Reason To Go
Ruth was a widowed foreigner with no obligation to Naomi and every practical reason to return home. She stayed, and the whole book turns on that.
Faithful In Little
Luke 16:10 · KJV
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
In plain English
Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will be dishonest with much.
“Ruth's story is mostly gleaning in a field. The famous part is the loyalty, not the drama.”
Shelter
Psalms 91:1 · KJV
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
In plain English
Whoever lives in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Ordinary Faithfulness Compounds
She had no idea she would end up in the family line of David and of Jesus. She was just being loyal in a hard month.
He Finishes It
Philippians 1:6 · KJV
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
In plain English
I am sure of this: the one who began a good work in you will carry it through to completion.
Pray
God, let me be faithful in the unremarkable stretch. Amen.
Write it down
Where is God asking you simply to stay?
Stay
Loyalty is not glamorous. It is how most good things get built.
Which passages does this journey use?
4 passages, drawn from Proverbs 17:17, Luke 16:10, Psalms 91:1, Philippians 1:6. Every verse appears here in the King James text with a plain-English line beside it, so you can read it without a commentary open. Allow about 7 minutes for the whole thing, or 8 short sittings.
- Proverbs 17:17
- Luke 16:10
- Psalms 91:1
- Philippians 1:6
Read any of these in full on the complete KJV, or look the wording up independently at Blue Letter Bible.