Ruth

Loyal to the End

After the death of her Hebrew husband, Ruth could have remained in her own culture — the expected and easier route — but instead chose to travel with Naomi, her mother-in-law, back to Bethlehem, a place totally foreign to her. Why did she do this? The reason seemed very simple and logical from her point of view: she had a fierce loyalty to her bereaved mother-in-law.

Loyalty ties individuals together. True loyalty is seldom easy — it takes both patience and a willingness to be inconvenienced. Genuinely loyal people adjust their schedules to meet the needs of those they serve. And loyalty often comes at a price. Ruth, for example, made a tremendous sacrifice by leaving her family and friends behind to serve Naomi.

Ultimately, however, godly loyalty tends to yield a great reward. God saw Ruth’s deep, abiding loyalty and rewarded her by giving her a loving husband, a beautiful son, and most of all, by placing her in the family line of Jesus Christ.

Taken from The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible