Lessons From the Book of RuthНамуна

Ruth is a foreigner who leaves everything behind as she follows her mother-in-law, Naomi, to Israel. Naomi urges her to go back to her family because her prospects are much better there, but Ruth declines:

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. – Ruth 1:16

Ruth’s actions are incredibly self-sacrificial. She’s a widow, which makes her vulnerable, and a Moabite who, out of love and loyalty to her family, agrees to move to a country where Moab is considered the enemy.

Ruth reminds me a bit of my wife, Jenny. When Jenny moved to India, married me and agreed to join me in leading Yeshua Ministries, she made great sacrifices. She left behind her comfortable country, friends and family, and a promising career as a lawyer. She took strength from Psalms 45:10-11:

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. Let the King be enthralled by your beauty; honour Him, for he is your Lord.

We often fail to realize how much the women in our lives, our wives, (grand)mothers(in-law), and sisters, sacrifice for their families. Even those women who don’t have families of their own usually carry a heavy cross.

Today, I encourage you to honour the women in your life with words and deeds. Make a list of all the women who play an important role in your life, and remember to honour them today.

I want to pray Ruth 2:12 over all the women reading this plan:

May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

Hey! You are a Chamatkar

Cameron Mendes