Ruth 1-4

"Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her." But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. may the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

The story of Ruth really touched me. Her father-in-law died and so did her husband. If she cared for her own well-being and her own future, she should have left Naomi, her mother-in-law. Naomi even urged her to leave. Yet, she had this genuine compassion and love for Naomi and made a choice to stick by her side, because she knew Naomi would have no one, if she was to leave her. The amazing thing about this short story of Ruth is that by her abandoning her own life and living in order to bless Naomi, she ended up bringing greater blessing, not only to Naomi, but to herself. She eventually married Boaz and had a son, who eventually became a grandfather to David.

I know for a fact that I live a very selfish life. I lose touch with people around me often, because I'm too busy dealing with my own issues. But I know and have experienced that I'm most blessed when I have reached out to someone else, and touched their lives in some way.

We have been pretty good about being there for each other. But let's remember this day that just as Jesus gave his life for others, we are to live for others. Let's continue to pray for the people God put in our hearts, and ask God for wisdom in how to reach out and be there for others in our own personal way.