Reliable people shine during difficult times. Interior qualities rest untested until hardship or crisis pull them to the surface.

The story of Ruth is a wonderful example. At a crossroads in life, Ruth chose to move to a foreign land in support of her mother-in-law. This after the deaths of Ruth’s husband and father-in-law. Two women, all alone, journeying into an uncertain future.

At first Ruth’s mother-in-law insisted that Ruth return to her parents. Ruth replied, Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.

A beautiful statement of commitment, one I always love hearing at wedding ceremonies. Brides and grooms repeat these words on days of celebration, with the trials of life over the horizon. But Ruth spoke them in a grim situation. She knew every step forward would be difficult, yet she chose her path.

Of course, the story ends with a happily ever after moment. Years later Ruth’s great-grandson is crowned David the king. But Ruth guessed none of this when she pledged to follow her mother-in-law into an unknown and scary place.

I pray for the Lord to develop Ruth-like qualities in myself. When I find Ruth-like people in my life, I try to keep them close, because you can never have too many reliable people around you.

Ruth 1 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Miltiadis Fragkidis