Ruth Chapter 1

In Ruth Chapter 1 it talks about there being a famine in Bethlehem.  During the famine Naomi and her husband, Elimelech took their two sons (Mahlon and Chilion) and moved to Moab.  They grew up there and eventually Elimelech dies.  The two sons get married to Orpah and Ruth.  Then both of the sons die.  Naomi is very sad about all of this loss.  She has now lost her husband and her only two sons.  She is devastated and has decided that after hearing things are better in Bethlehem that she will return to there.  She decides to return but tells her daughter in laws that she has nothing for them and that there is no reason to follow her.  Orpah sees this as her opportunity and leaves but Ruth clings to Naomi and tells her that she is going to follow her regardless of where this might lead her.


I find already that Ruth and I are nothing alike.  Not that I don't love my mother in law but I don't think that I would cling to someone if I were to lose my husband.  That is just not me nor is it my personality.  I am also not the caregiver type.  I know in my heart of hearts that this is not something that I would be able to do with my own parents so the thought that Ruth went with Naomi to help her and to care for her has already further distanced me from her and whether or not I can be anything like her.


So friends and family....are you a Ruth?  Could you do this?  Would you blindly follow someone that you trusted.  I have a hard enough time blindly following anything so I know whether it was my own husband or my own mother or even my mother in law for that matter, I would not be blindly following them.  I just could not do this at least not as long as there is still me within me.  I guess God could miraculously change me into the type of person that blindly follows.