When you think of loyalty, what comes to mind? Are you loyal to your friends? Your spouse? Your job? Your college sports team? Your favorite makeup brand?
Loyalty, like love, comes in various forms and encompasses a wealth of meanings. We can be loyal in relationships. We can be loyal to a job or an organization. We often talk about dogs as being loyal pets.
As women, we are often viewed as loyal people because of our caring and compassion for family and friends. Our loyalty is also a trait that empowers us in our professions and enables us to make a difference in our communities and more.
Ruth is one woman who took both love and loyalty, combined them and expressed them in her life. You’ll find Ruth in the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. Ruth’s decisions and fierce loyalty set the stage for the arrival of our Savior while also being an example of loyal love to every woman after her.
Ruth was a Moabite woman married to one of the two sons of Naomi of Bethlehem. Ruth met the family when they arrived in Moab to escape a famine. Sadly, Naomi’s husband and sons died after a short time, leaving Naomi with two widowed daughters-in-law. Hurt and broken, Naomi strongly encouraged both of her daughters-in-law to return to their own families so that they could remarry. They both resisted at first, but eventually, Orpah, the other daughter-in-law, gave in and returned to her home.
But Ruth stayed.
Despite further pleading from Naomi, Ruth said some of the most loving and loyal words ever spoken (Ruth 1: 16-17):
“Don’t plead with me to abandon you
Or to return and not follow you.
For wherever you go, I will go,
And wherever you live, I will live;
Your people will be my people,
And your God will be my God.
Where you die, I will die
And there I will be buried.
May the Lord punish me
And do so severely,
If anything but death separates you and me.”
Is there anyone that you could speak these words to you in your life? Is there anyone you would be willing to commit to: go with, live with, accept their people, accept their God, die with and be buried with?
Ruth’s words to Naomi are known in Hebrew as “khessed.” This is the Hebrew word for the idea of love, loyalty and generosity all combined into one. It is a vow of enduring commitment. Ruth was doing more than agreeing to stay with Naomi as her companion. She was letting go of what could be a different future and choosing to fully embrace Naomi’s way of life. Why would Ruth do this? Because she saw in Naomi a life and a God she wanted to know.
It’s very likely Ruth could have returned to her family and found another husband. She could have started a family there, surrounded by the familiar. But she could see Something More in Naomi. Ruth wanted Something More.
And it worked out for her.
As it turned out, Naomi was the best wing woman any single gal could ask for. Naomi found a way for Ruth to meet Boaz. He had heard of all Ruth had done for Naomi, and he showed favor to her, becoming a protector and a provider for her. Naomi then explained to Ruth that Boaz is a relative of Naomi’s family, a family redeemer for them. Ruth followed the plan Naomi shared with her about how to approach Boaz, and in the end, Boaz married Ruth and redeemed the family.
But that’s not all. Ruth and Boaz had a son, Obed. Obed fathered a son, Jesse. And then Jesse became the father of David. Yep, King David. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David. The same King David that would become the lineage of Jesus.
Love, loyalty and generosity. The trifecta of traits combining to make “khessed.“ Ruth expressed khessed to Naomi, setting an example for women everywhere. It’s the kind of love and commitment God shows to each of us daily, regardless of our circumstances. Khessed is a loyal love of unconditional commitment.
Citations:
Book of Ruth images: https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/ruth-2/
The Book of Ruth
Bible Project: What is God’s Love? A Look at the Hebrew Word ‘Khesed’