A Faithful Friend

In the book of Ruth, we meet Naomi at rock bottom, an immigrant who lost her husband and both sons in Moab. She returns to Bethlehem with nothing—widowed, childless, and bitter. Yet in Naomi's lowest moment, Ruth clings to her with a pledge of unfailing love: "Where you go, I will go… your God will be my God" (Ruth 1). This is a story of deep loss, surprising friendship, and unexpected redemption, where each becomes a thread God uses to weave redemption.

First, we see how the gospel transcends boundaries of race, class, and status. Ruth, a foreigner and outcast, becomes woven into of God's family and even the genealogy of Christ. Second, we see the life-changing power of true relationships, as Ruth's 'hesed' love points to God's covenant love. Finally, we see that God's pattern of redemption works through weakness and brokenness, not despite them. Amid "it just so happened" circumstances, the kinsman-redeemer theme rises, pointing beyond Boaz to Jesus, the greater Redeemer who binds himself to us and bears our outcastness to bring us home.

If you feel like an outsider, overlooked, or bitter at life's hardships, this story is for you. In Jesus, the greater Redeemer, we find the true friendship and unfailing love that can make even the bitter places sweet again. Come and explore this gospel hope for yourself.