Femme Friday- Ruth

Femme Friday's are rapidly becoming my favorite blog to write. As I am studying each of these women, I am seeing more and more how God really does use the most unlikely of heroine's to show us His character. Today, we are reminded that ANYONE can be used by God. Including a woman who had no part of God until she married into a Jewish family. Our woman to honor today is Ruth the Moabitess. 

We first met Ruth last week. She is one of two daughters-in-law that are left bereft with their mother-in-law, Naomi. Their husbands have all died because of famine in the land of Moab. Ironically, they were all

in Moab because of another famine in Israel. As we see these three women making life-altering decisions, one goes back to her family of origin. The other two, Naomi and Ruth, become a picture of steadfastness, faithfulness, and the restoration power of God. You can read the whole book of Ruth in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. 

Ruth is known best for being an example of duty, honor and kindness. But Ruth is also a few other things. She is a princess of a foreign king. She is someone who chose her family instead of relying on her birth family. Ruth is also the mother of two of the most well-known kings in Christian history. King David was the second King of Israel and set the stage for a prosperous and heavenly example of a nation. Later, his great great great great relative Jesus became the Savior of the entire world. I want you to see that Ruth is not just a nice girl who followed her mother-in-law to a foreign land. Ruth is central to the Jewish and Christian faiths. Once again, a foreign woman (she who would have little to no political, social or economical power) is used mightily by the Creator of our Universe. Our God lifts up those the culture would say are weak. 

Ruth also chose her family. She could have stayed in Moab. Returning to her father the king's house. Ruth chose instead to stay in a desperate place with Naomi. It is unclear why Ruth chose to stay. It's attributed to Ruth as kindness and compassion. Whatever the reason, Ruth chose her found family over that of a palace. This choice is expounded as Ruth then follow's Naomi's advice to bring their two woman family to a place of restoration and wholeness thru marriage and then children. 

To our Jewish sister Ruth we say eishet chayil (a Hebrew phrase to honor women)!