Year 4, Day 283: Ruth 1

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

Ruth is such an inspiring book.  It is a book about a Gentile woman who actually makes better spiritual decisions than the Hebrew people around her – at least until she meets up with Boaz, who is a great spiritual equal to her!  Ruth is a competent woman.  In truth, Ruth is one of the most competent people in the Old Testament.  How cool is it that one of the most competent people in the Old Testament is not only a woman, but a Gentile at that!

Let’s look at this dynamic for a moment so that we can truly be amazed at the spiritual faith of Ruth.  Elimelech takes his family away from the Promised Land.  They only planned to go away for a little while but they end up staying for long enough that his sons not only find wives but Elimelech and his sons each die!  Elimelech strikes me as a man who is wise in the world but not necessarily wise in the spirit.  He makes a solid family decision, but in doing so he spiritually brings his family away from the place God has called his people.

Then we get to look at Naomi.  Naomi clearly has a love for her daughter-in-laws.   That is to be commended.  But look at the advice that she gives to her Moabite daughter-in-laws.  She tells them to go back to their families and be supported by them.  Naomi is trying to convince them to return to a Moabite lifestyle!  From a spiritual perspective, this is horrible advice!  What is better, to live in the security of this world or to live in security of being with God?  Furthermore, look at her relationship with God at the end of this chapter.  All she can focus on is how tragic her life is in the moment.  Gone are the happy memories of her family.  Gone is any recognition that God has allowed a deep bond to exist between Naomi and Ruth.  I can understand why she feels this way.  But it is sad to see that she chooses to place the focus where she does.

Yet out of this we get Ruth.  Somewhere along the way something spiritually clicked in Ruth.  She found God.  She found truth.  She knew that so long as she stayed with God that God would provide for her.  She clung to Naomi because Naomi was her ticket back into the place of God’s calling.  Ruth could have easily turned back like Orpah did.  But she chose God and God’s calling over the security offered in the world through her biological family.

Here is a competent woman.  When God calls, Ruth follows.  Even when the path seems bleak and there are few answers to be found, Ruth follows.  What an inspiration!

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