MONDAY

SCRIPTURE: Ruth 1:3-18

One of the things we noticed in the story of the Samaritan woman last Sabbath is that some things are more important than others. It is not always easy to get our priorities straight though. It is especially hard when there are powerful forces in the world around us that insist things have to be a certain way, e.g., “How can you ask me for a drink? For Jews do not associate with Samaritans” (John 4:9). We have all experienced, or maybe even participated in, this at one time or another. Today’s passage is another of those moments. According to the culture of the day, it was already pushing the envelope a bit for Elimelek, Naomi, and their two sons to have gone to Moab in the first place, and even more so when the two sons married Moabite women. But, be that as it may, Ruth 1 tells us that when Elimelek and the sons die, Naomi’s only viable option seems to be to return to her homeland. With her own prospects now seeming very uncertain, and as hard as it was for them, Naomi suggests to her daughters-in-law that they stay behind in their homeland, find new husbands, and try to start over again.

Orpah tearfully agrees, but Ruth refuses to abandon her commitment to Naomi and the ties that had bound them together as family. And so, despite the conventional wisdom of the time, and with no assurances that she would be well received, she decides to return with Naomi to Bethlehem. (You can read her famous declaration in Ruth 1:16-17.) As the story unfolds in the rest of the book of Ruth, in the wake of Ruth’s faithfulness to and love for Naomi; and through the grace of Boaz, who, acting as her kinsman redeemer, marries her; Ruth, the outsider, is welcomed not only into the extended family of Naomi, but also into the people of Israel as well. In fact, she is later listed by Matthew as one of those from whom David—and ultimately Jesus—came (Matthew 1:5). Ruth is another example of those who would have been seen by many as an “outsider” who “doesn’t belong here.” Yet, she is not only welcomed into the community of faith, but also becomes an important part of the story God is telling. In God’s eyes, some things are indeed more important than others; we just need to make sure that it is through God’s eyes that we are seeing.

• In what ways is Ruth’s story similar to that of the Samaritan woman that we reflected on last Sabbath (John 4)?

• As you reflect on the story of Ruth and your own experience, who are the people or groups of people that currently tend to be regarded by many as those who “don’t belong here”? In what ways might their stories be similar to Ruth’s?

• As we think of people around the world who, because of hardship, death, or other extreme circumstances, prioritize family responsibilities, humanitarian values, and safety over cultural, racial, or other expectations, how might the example of Ruth give us insight?

• What if Ruth had been turned away from Bethlehem because she was a Moabite (perhaps based on Deuteronomy 23:3)? How do we see God working in this story in ways that reflect the words of Jesus in places like Matthew 5:33-44 or Matthew 12:3-8?

• In what ways do you find this story challenging? Comforting? Troubling? Something that you can or cannot resonate with? Why do you think that is?

• As we think about the way we tend to think about people, or perhaps even the way people may at times tend to think about us, in what way does this story speak to you?

• As you reflect on the bond that existed between Naomi and her daughters-in-law, what speaks to you the most powerfully? Take a few moments to share with God in prayer what surfaces for you as you reflect on this story of a person who lived on the margins, and perhaps your own story as well.