Ruth’s Waiting

In case there’s a problem reading the small graphic, it starts:

To all the girls who are in a hurry to have a boyfriend or get married, a piece of Biblical advice:  “Ruth patiently waited for her mate Boaz.”

While I 'Shared' this and it sounds good, it’s biblically incorrect. There are only four chapters in the book of Ruth.  Go ahead and read them all to get a rich story of love and God’s care for a young widow whose great-grandson became king of Israel.

When the story begins, Ruth wasn’t waiting for Boaz, she married long before she knew of him:

And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. (Ruth 1:3-4)

The Israeli economy tanked so that Elimelech, his wife and sons moved to where they could find work and eat. Things haven’t changed much, have they? The boys courted and married local girls, probably with the intention of living happily ever after. Didn’t happen.

What did happen is one of those widows made a decision that affects our lives today. Yep, every Christian, Jew, Muslim and millions of non-believers who read Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, or Song of Solomon sees words written by her descendants. Every Christian kneels at the cross holding her descendant, our Lord. What she did is what we do when we follow Him:

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (Ruth 1:16)

We think of those words being said from a loving bride to her groom, but they were the words of a woman to a mother-in-law whose life was such an example that she wished to follow in her footsteps.
Boaz came into her life after Ruth followed God.

That’s the application I wish our young ladies understand. Ruth set aside her way of life, focused on what a godly woman taught her, followed her advice and is remembered around the world.

When we begin our walk with the Lord, He places opportunities for us to learn from godly people, too. We should be praying each day for them and to be kept away from the ungodly:

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: (Matthew 6:13a)

Ruth must have considered Naomi as we should, a Titus 2 woman, aged, experienced and interested in teaching younger women. Perhaps David had this in mind when he wrote:

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalms 32:8)

Naomi did instruct Ruth how to behave around Boaz, keeping a watchful eye, and Ruth followed those instructions to the letter. Oh, how I pray our young ladies will heed the experience of their aged women, learn from them and take time to find their Boaz – a man mature and capable of caring for her, sharing the rest of their lives together.

That’s a love story to be desired.