Ruth was urged by Naomi, her mother-in-law, to go home to her biological family after the death of her husband. Tragedy had struck their family, and Naomi’s husband and her two sons had passed away. Both daughters-in-law were instructed to go home to their parents and their culture. Ruth was not raised to know God in her youth. She met God through her new family that she had married into. The reasonable choice would have been to go back home, where she would have the protection and care of her biological family. This meant that she would also need to give up her relationship with God, as her culture did not worship God. Despite the unknown and the challenges that lie ahead, she chose to stay with Naomi and God. God provided the women with the wisdom and strength needed for the time and provided a way for their care and future happiness.

Naomi must have illustrated God’s love in very real ways to her daughters-in-law. Ruth must have noticed that a life with God—through Naomi’s well-lived life—was much better regardless of life’s circumstances than a life without God. Naomi’s example to her growing family, after her sons married Ruth and Orpah, had a lasting impact on both the young women. Orpah wept before leaving Naomi to return to her family at Naomi’s repeated urging. Ruth made the unreasonable choice to stay with Naomi regardless of the urging and the unknown of what lies ahead.