I would like to believe that most Christians know the story of Ruth and Boaz in the Bible. Single women are often times encouraged to wait patiently for their Boaz while waiting on a godly spouse for marriage. On Sunday July 27, 2014, I woke up and prepared myself for church. I felt a strong pulling of the Holy Spirit telling me to read the book of Ruth in the Bible. I remember entering my car and convincing myself that I would spend time studying Ruth this week. As God would have it, there was a guest Pastor at church this Sunday and believe it or not, she preached only about Ruth. As soon as she began her sermon titled "Walking in the Field of Favor", I knew I had heard from the Holy Spirit earlier at home so today I sat down with my Bible to read the book of Ruth and asked the Holy Spirit to minister to me something different about Ruth. In the course of my time before God, God whispered in my heart that many women have become "Ruthless" or as He put it, "Ruth"-Less.
In its Hebrew context, Ruth means "companion; friend; vision of beauty". Source: BehindTheName) The Bible figure of Ruth indeed represented her name. When her husband died, her Mother-In-Law Naomi insisted that Ruth returned back to her father's house so that she could eventually remarry and bear children. Instead of listening to Naomi like her sister-in-law Orpah did, Ruth chose to cling to Naomi. She rejected returning back to her gods and said unto Naomi
" Entreat me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me. "- Ruth 1:16-17
These are the words and actions of a woman who had chosen to be a friend and companion. Her words show the beauty of her heart and the genuine love and respect she had for her Mother-In-Law. In addition, Ruth's decision and action proved that she was a faithful woman. She could have chosen to leave once her husband died, but instead Ruth vowed that only death would separate her from her Mother-In-Law. Her faithfulness was not conditional to only the good times. Above all, her action revealed a woman who had made up her mind to forsake other "gods" and worship the True God of Israel. These characteristics and selfless sacrifices were seen by Boaz and he prayed a prayer for her saying, "The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge. "-Ruth 2:12
Ruth was favored by Boaz and he took her as a wife. Ruth was a virtuous woman and her marriage to Boaz spurred the elders of the community who witnessed the occasion to pray" The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathan and be famous in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman" -(Ruth4:11-12)
Today, most women have become "Ruth"-less, leading to a shortage of "Ruths". According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, ruthless means "having no pity; cruel or merciless". The devil has so much deceived women into forgetting their worth and power in society. The devil has now reduced women into thinking all they have to offer to the world is their breasts, thighs, and sexuality. In this modern day age of social media, women are no longer concerned with being virtuous and holy. No longer are young women being taught to keep their virginity and practice abstinence before marriage. No longer are the older women showing younger women what it takes to be a woman who is concerned with the affairs of her house. Rather, older women are in competition with younger women on looks and appearance. This should not be so. The word of God tells us
"The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanders, not given to much wine, teachers of good things. That they may admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, home-makers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. "-Titus 2-3-5
We have turned from being companions and friends to gossipers. We have forgotten that we are the pathways and mothers of generations to come. Going back to Ruth 4:11-12, the elders prayed that Ruth would be like Rachel and Leah who BUILT the house of Israel. The love, grace, and character of a woman is creative power; we were created to make, to bring about, to build. It is only an ignorant woman who would destroy that which God has given her. Your presence in a family as a wife, a daughter, a sister, or even a sister-in-law, should neither cause confusion and hatred, nor cause the family to fall apart. If it does, then you are no longer "Ruth" but "Ruth"-less. The Scripture tells us that "The wise woman build her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands".- Proverbs14:1. The Bible also tells us the he who finds a wife, finds what is good and obtains favor from God. You as woman are supposed to be something "good" that changes someone for the better. You are supposed to be the door that opens to favor.
So my beautiful ladies, let us be honest with ourselves and evaluate ourselves. Would we be called Ruth, or would people call us ruthless? If we are known as Ruth, let us continue to allow God to guide our steps in righteousness. If we are ruthless, it is never too late to come to God in repentance so that He may make us the blessing we are supposed to be. Ruth chapter four ends by telling us that Ruth gave birth to Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David. This chronological timeline shows that the faithfulness, the companionship, and the friendship of Ruth to Naomi led her to becoming the great grandmother of King David, the man the Bible describes as "The man after God's own heart"! Who and what is our character giving birth to? We cannot be mothers to kings without allowing the King of kings to take priority in our lives. May God give us all grace to be graceful, mercy to be merciful, and the heart to be "Ruth"-full, not "Ruth"-less women. Amen.
Yorkamazing <3
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T.M.V-Proverbs 31:30-31
"Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman that fears God, she shall be praised. Give to her of the fruit of her hands. And let her own works praise her in the gates"
