Love Like a Mother -- Naomi and RuthSample

Mother Like the Father

As famous as Ruth’s demonstration of loyalty is (and arguably one that gives this book its name) this scene highlights the profound effect of Naomi’s parenting. It is a long-held understanding that due to the nature and nurture of parenting, children will become, in large part, what is modeled for them. They will mimic the speech they hear, adopt the mannerisms that surround them, and grow into a unique, but mirrored version of those that raised them. When the choice confronted Ruth to either leave her mother-in-law or cling to her, her genuine and heartfelt expression of devotion and loyalty is undeniably one that was not only earned but also demonstrated first for her. If the response to separation is one of extreme distress, if it is unfathomable to leave Naomi behind, then we can read between the lines of this passage and be assured that Naomi was worth every ounce of love and devotion she received. At the core of this scene, it becomes apparent that Ruth loved well because she was first well-loved.

Living each day like Christ and becoming more like Him, (being sanctified), especially as parents, means going first. Little eyes are watching what you do and little ears are listening to what you say. It takes courage to step out in faith and honor God in a world which increasingly views that with diminished importance. Part of this vulnerability is sharing your mistakes to prevent generational repetition, loving beyond your feelings, and modeling a reverence for the Father, the One who goes before you in all things.

Read verses 16 and 17 again and notice Naomi’s firm position in all of Ruth’s declarations:

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. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. (Ruth 1:16-17 NIV).

In each plea, Ruth reveals how Naomi has gone before her: where you go; where you stay; your people; your God; where you die. As an imperfect parent, though Naomi may have lacked in any number of areas, she was certainly the one breaking ground in new and meaningful ones. In doing so, Naomi left a track record of security for her daughters-in-law that Ruth was able to put her faith in before it could be fully understood or justified. Beyond her trust in Naomi, Ruth had no tangible evidence that her continued loyalty would bring about prosperity for herself, and surely not for all mankind. But love for the one who first loved her was enough to testify. It was enough to make the choice easy for Ruth, who would now surrender her identity, traditions, and inherited beliefs for an entirely new way of life.

Ruth’s plea to remain with Naomi reveals several admirable things about their history. Namely, that Naomi had been sowing the seeds of her faith long enough that it was clearly a nonnegotiable and defining characteristic of her life. If God was the common denominator in Naomi’s ability to love well, empathize, and bless others despite her own experiences of heartbreak and tragedy, then He was a God Ruth would accept herself. In this regard, Ruth could follow Naomi because she led well. This same parental style of literal leadership can be seen across other portions of Scripture. The LORD is the one who goes ahead and stays beside (Deut 31:8), who goes ahead and makes the rough places smooth (Isaiah 45:2), who leads His people like a flock (Psalm 77:20). It is because of this Model that Joshua was able to stand firmly and declare, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh 24:15 NKJV)

If you are struggling to model what was never modeled for you, if you are feeling more bitter than better in parenthood, look to your Heavenly Father. He has already provided the blueprint for success and blessing. Under His mentorship and gentle guidance, you can become the proof your children will look back on, which boldly declares that there is a better way than what the world presents. Though your children must establish their own faith, you, like Naomi, will have provided a track record of trustworthiness that traces back to a Heavenly Father. The path has been cleared, and the guide has walked it and shown them the way. It is up to your children, what they will do with their lives, but you can rest knowing that your part has been done.

Think about these questions for your own life: What does it look like to model Christ to your children? What is the most challenging part of this? In what ways do your children look at your life and see Christ? In what ways do they not? What is the source of the love you have for your children? What is a practical next step you can take in your own life to depend on and look to your Father in heaven in a greater way?