READ Ruth 1:1-18
The story of Ruth and Naomi begins with tragedy. After leaving her homeland with her family,
Naomi experiences a string of deaths: first her husband, then her two adult sons. Left without
grandchildren and without male family members to care for her, Naomi is in one of the most
vulnerable and lowly places in her society.
Against reason, Naomi’s daughters-in-law don’t want to abandon her. Though Orpah eventually
agrees to return to the family of her birth, Ruth won’t leave Naomi. She protests with one of the
most stirring speeches in all of scripture.
Ruth’s choice to remain with her widowed mother-in-law is downright foolish by her world’s
standards. Nothing ties her to Naomi, and there is no hopeful future with her to be seen. It makes
you wonder why Ruth did not wish to return to her own family. It makes you wonder about the
welcome Ruth must have received in her husband’s family home. It makes you wonder why Naomi
loved and cared for Ruth as her own daughter.
Ruth makes Naomi her chosen family, a bond that many people form when their biological families
can’t provide the love, understanding, or support they need. Perhaps this family relationship is
formed with a deep sense of justice, too. Though it may be fair to leave Naomi on her own, Ruth—
an outsider to the people of Judah—upholds one of the markers of God’s justice. She cares for the
widow, a widow herself. This generation in Jesus’ ancestry is formed by chosen love, tenacity,
justice, and a fiercely feminine loyalty.
CONSIDER
When has the love of someone beyond your biological family made a difference in your life?
PRAY
God of all, thank you for the people who have provided me with love and support throughout my
life: (take a moment to name some). Through their care, inspire me to act with love and justice toward
others. Amen.
Emily Trubey-Weller, Out of the Blue Writer