Commitment: Lessons From Ruth (Rhinah Shalom)

Admin Tue 18 May 2010, 4:28 pm

Commitment: Lessons From Ruth

An Israelite woman named Naomi moved from the land of Israel to Moab with her husband and two sons because of the famine in the land. While in Moab, her husband died and her two sons married women from Moab, Ruth and Orpah. When they died, Naomi, in poverty, returned to Israel and her two daughters-in- law expressed loyalty by insisting they will accompany her. Naomi told them this would be foolish, for being Moabites, they will doom themselves to widowhood and poverty. Orpah took her advice and left, but Ruth decided to stay, telling Naomi, "Do not entreat me to leave you, for wherever you go I will go."

Ruth declared loyalty to Naomi and commited herself to Naomi's people, "Your people are my people" and finally, to Elohim (God) Himself, "Your Elohim is my Elohim." Ruth 1:16-17

Ruth's words are a model of how a sincere convert is accepted. However, at first it seemed that Ruth's motivation was her personal devotion to Naomi. In this case it was not necessary for Ruth to convert in order to remain with Naomi. She could have remained a gentile. However, when Ruth commited to follow Naomi, it was because there was something special about Naomi that inspired her ~ it was Naomi's spirituality. Ruth desired to be a part of Israel because she recognized the beauty of the Torah and the special relationship with God that it offered. To this Ruth clung with her very life, "Only death will separate me from you."

Ruth converted not for Naomi and not for her people, but for Naomi's God ~ YHVH. We grow by being with the right people, until we say, "I'd like to be like you and your people, and your God is the One I wish to make my own."

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Torah Studies: http://rinahshal.tripod.com /
Times of Refreshing I: http://rinah--shalom.tripod. com/
Times of Refreshing II: http://rinah.shalom.tripod. com/
Moadim - Jewish Holidays: http://rinah- shalom.tripod. com/
His Word: http://rinahshalom.tripod.com/
Wisdom For Living: http://rinahshal. tripod.com/wisdomforliving