Reflecting on the story of Ruth this morning with my morning coffee. Did you know Ruth reveals to us how naming our children matters? Or how we don’t just marry a man, we marry his family too. It talks about how men were expected to protect their families. How about that redemption has always been the narrative, not perfection?

There are some key takeaways for women and men in the book of Ruth. let’s explore…

Biblical names all had meaning and were chosen purposefully. Naomi, the mother-in-law to Ruth had named her two sons Mahlon and Kilion meaning ‘failing’ and ‘sickly’- indeed, both boys died as young men. An early death left Ruth a widow.

Naomi changed her name to Mara during this time which meant ‘bitterness’, showing the humanness of how sometimes we want a different identity after pain.

Now a widow, Ruth could’ve returned home to where her father may or may not welcome her, as in that day fathers would reject the return of their daughters due to financial hardship or possible fears of shame being brought onto the family.

Or she could remarry. Though Naomi encouraged Ruth to go or remarry a younger man- Ruth faithfully stayed beside Naomi to care for her.

It is a powerful illustration that when we marry, we marry into each other’s family. Even if the family is not easy to love, we are called to love them, to not burden our partner. Since Naomi had lost her sons, there were no children to care for her in her elderly stage, so Ruth’s stay was a testimony to her faith and fulfilling her promise to her deceased husband to care for his family as her own.

When we are able to love people through it, we invite God’s love to work from within us and to spill outward like a cup that overflows…

Often we confuse loving someone through it with putting up with it but the two are quite different- as women and men of God we are to create boundaries and standards as a way to diminish Satan from accessing us through people.

Loving them through it is holding grace and compassion as we are at fault in someone else’s eyes.

They slandered you? Hold them accountable and love them through it.

They wronged you? Hold them accountable and love them through it.

They unfairly judged you? Love them through it.

They annoy you? Love them through it.

They think differently than you? Love them through it.

They believe differently? Love them through it.

And no one said it would be easy. That’s why the bible tells us to pray for our enemies because through that prayer we lose the enemy.

We live in a world that yearns for love, the kind with no strings attached. We cannot experience inner union with God if we are unable to love one another. You cannot claim God’s goodness in you while badmouthing and slandering your neighbor, coworker, family member, or any person. They simply cannot share the temple at the same time.

The story of Ruth showcases the humanity of people, how this woman lived in righteousness amidst a society of immorality, and how even people who live in righteousness will struggle with immorality. If the people in the bible were perfect, the bible would not be accurate.

It is silly at how many of us developed ‘perfectionism as righteousness’ because of how we were taught in church- and how we were treated and shamed by our fellow believers when we touched skirts with our own humanity- yet God expected this and why his story is always about Redemption, how he loves to find the weaker link and transform that person into greatness.

The strive for perfectionism hinders our relationship with God and righteousness.

Lastly, the story of Ruth showcases how a man was expected to protect his family. Part of the protection was to try and conceive a son as women were not allowed then to inherit anything from their father- so if the father failed to conceive a son, often his wife and female children were left without an inheritance.

This is significant because if a man did not protect his family or chose to abandon or shame them, he was not to be remembered or mentioned. The bible shows us this in Deuteronomy when we experience a man who has no name in a bible full of significance and purpose for names.

Men are not only called to protect their families but to also leave an inheritance- this means living a life where you are already accounting for your future generations of your bloodline.

Pretty cool, huh?