14 March | Teens
«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
Ruth's story is a beautiful story of loyalty, faith and how God works in our lives. Ruth was from Moab and married a man from Israel. Sadly, she lost her husband and was widowed. Her mother-in-law, Naomi, also faced the loss of her husband and her other son. Uff! In the midst of this tragedy, Naomi decided to return to her homeland, Israel, and Ruth made a more than special choice: she decided to go with Naomi. She said: “Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”
Ruth's decision shows how we can choose to follow God, even in the most difficult of times. It doesn't matter where we come from or what happened before in our lives. Ruth chose to love and serve God, and it completely changed her life. By her decision, she became part of the main story of the Bible. Maybe you're thinking, “Hey, but this is the first time I've heard about her.” Because of her loyalty and faith, Ruth became King David's great-grandmother, and as such, she is part of Jesus' lineage! God specializes in turning bad things into good things; tragedies into blessings. He did it in Ruth's life, and He can do it in mine and yours too! He can turn our crying into laughter!
Take Action
With the help of an adult, create a family tree. Draw a tree and put the names of your family members on the branches. As you do this, think about how each person in your family has a special story, just like Ruth. This tree will be a reminder that, just like Ruth, each of us has an important role in our family and in the story God is writing for us.