Whose story is the book of Ruth?

Instinctively, most of us would probably say, “Ruth,” since this short book is named after her. But really, it’s about two women: Ruth and Naomi, her mother-in-law.

The story of Ruth starts off with Naomi and her husband Elimelech, who are from the town of Bethlehem in Judah. Worried about a famine in the land, they relocate to the country of Moab on the other side of the Jordan River, along with their two sons.

Shortly after arriving in Moab, Elimelech dies. Fortunately for Naomi, her two sons marry a couple of local women and their family lives happily for some time. But after about ten years, both of Naomi’s sons pass away as well.

Alone and with no way to provide for herself, Naomi decides to return to her home in Bethlehem. Her two daughters-in-law both ask to come with her, but she tries to dissuade them. Ruth, of course, resolves to accompany Naomi no matter the cost.

When she returned to her hometown, however, her friends barely recognized her. She was so beaten down by the pain and loss she experienced, she didn’t even seem like the same person. Naomi mournfully cried to them: “Call me no more Naomi, call me Mara.”

The Hebrew name Naomi means something like “charming” or “friendly,” while Mara means “bitter”. Naomi no longer felt that she deserved such a happy name.

Naomi had experienced terrible pain. She became embittered and resentful toward God. At one time, she lived up to her cheerful name, but now she was hurt and no longer “Naomi.”

“The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but Yahweh has caused me to return empty. …Yahweh has answered against me and the Almighty has brought calamity against me.” (Ruth 1:20–21)

In times of suffering and immense grief, it is natural to turn to God and ask, “Why?”

This same question that permeates the Book of Job: Why does Job suffer if he isn’t wicked?

However, there is a tangible difference between questioning God and blaming Him. Job questioned God and constantly asked why he was subject to his calamity, but his friends went a step further and were more than happy to outright accuse God.

Naomi comes out and blames God too. But as we’ll see, that’s not the end of her story—only the beginning.

Suffering trains you to trust God.

Although Naomi’s life was ruined (at least in her own perception), she never went hungry herself, or at least not enough to kill her. Why was it that her whole family perished, but God let her live?

There are myriad answers we could suggest, but I will propose just one: maybe God was watching out for Naomi so she would have this opportunity to grow. Obviously He was taking care of her, but she only saw Him as afflicting her.

Yet after Naomi returns to Bethlehem, we catch a glimpse of God’s providence at work in her life. Whether she lacked the ability or the willpower, Naomi doesn’t obtain grain for herself, and Ruth lovingly offers to go glean in the fields.

“Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a mighty man of excellence, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, ‘Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one whom I may find favor in his eyes.’

And she said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ (Ruth 2:1–2)

Notice that this young woman, who has known about the Lord for less than ten years, is expressing more faith than her Jewish mother-in-law.

In the Law of Moses, God established a provision for the poor and hungry:

“Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the afflicted and for the sojourner. I am Yahweh your God.” (Lev 19:9–10)

I don’t have any idea if Ruth knows this law. Regardless, she trusts in God’s providence through it. God provides for us, sometimes in mysterious, unpredictable ways, but often through His faithful servants who obey His commands. In this case, that means Boaz.

“So she went. And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And it so happened that she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, ‘May Yahweh be with you.’

And they said to him, ‘May Yahweh bless you.’ (Ruth 2:3–4)

I would like to remind you that Ruth has been through just as much as Naomi has.

• Naomi lost her husband and sons; Ruth lost her husband and in-laws (except Naomi).
• Situations forced Naomi to move to a land where she didn’t have friends, connections, or land, nor did she speak the language; Ruth made the same move when she relocated to Bethlehem.
• As widows, Naomi and Ruth were both unable to work and truly provide for themselves.

Despite being a Gentile woman, Ruth trusts in God strikingly more than Naomi. She even shows sympathy and love, making some of these sacrifices willingly. Unlike Naomi’s old friends from Bethlehem, who do nothing to help or encourage, Ruth sticks to Naomi’s side and takes care of her.

Pain does not mean God is punishing you. Pain means that there is sin in the world and that Satan is still tempting.

“And Satan answered Yahweh and said, ‘Does Job fear God without cause? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But send forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.’

Then Yahweh said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your hand, only do not send forth your hand toward him.’ So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh. (Job 1:9–12)

Suffering trains you to love God.

How? Because you learn to focus on what you have been given, rather than what is lost.

Job declared after losing all his sons and his daughters,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21)

He could have mourned in anguish about the pain and agony of it all, but instead he gave glory and thanks to God.

By far, the most faithful Christians I know are those who have suffered immensely.

Some friends of mine, Chris and Kathy Carson, have a daughter named Amelia. Several years ago, she was diagnosed with some form of cancer. Amelia’s prognosis was so bad that we all thought she wasn’t going to make it.

Suddenly, she overcame the cancer, filling Chris and Kathy and the rest of her church family with tremendous joy! But it returned—much worse—a year later. Its return was so severe, Chris and Kathy essentially gave up hope, even purchasing a grave plot in preparation.

Yet both her parents, and especially Chris, are of the most grateful people I have ever met. Chris is always praising God and exalting His Name. He spends his time teaching the gospel to college students and prison inmates. He has not let himself become bitter; he constantly gives praise to God.

Although her cancer returned, so also did the mercy of God. I had the privilege of seeing Chris and Kathy just a few weeks ago at the wedding in Amarillo. He chuckled as he told me he received a notification for the completion of Amelia’s gravestone—which they no longer needed. I’ve never once heard that man say a bitter or negative word. Only joyful and encouraging things proceed from his lips. I hope that if I ever face Satan in the way Chris has, I’ll respond the same way too.

I personally know many other Christians whose light shone most brightly through the fog of their own pain. Many of the best and kindest people I’ve known suffered immensely yet grew because of it.

Naomi, however, missed this opportunity, thinking only of her pain. Only by Ruth’s encouragement was Naomi able to see the light.

Ruth had lost so much, too, but she focused on helping Naomi instead of on her pain.

Suffering trains you to appreciate God.

As we have seen, Naomi saw God as the source of her pain. One of Satan’s most powerful lies is convincing us that evil things come from God.

James encouraged his readers to guard their hearts against this very attitude:

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully matured, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (Jas 1:13–17)

James explains that temptations do not come from God. Given the context of the chapter, he also implies that the trials we endure do not come from God either. Yet He allows us to face them for our own growth.

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith brings about perseverance. And let perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (Jas 1:2–4)

Rather, good and perfect things come from God. God is the father of lights, Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44).

Focus on the blessings God provides—who God truly is.

Ruth had also suffered loss; she lost her husband and father-in-law. She was a foreigner and an outcast. She had even made a willing sacrifice by moving to a distant land, giving up her own friends and relations. But Ruth chose to look to God for providence and redemption, not for someone to blame.

Eventually, Naomi saw this, too. After Obed was born, she allowed her friends to call her Naomi once again. She looked at the blessing of a grandson rather than the pain of her loss.

Then Naomi took the child and put him on her bosom and became his nurse. The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:16–17)

I’m not claiming that you will ever fully get over the loss of close family and friends—nor that you should attempt it. But like Job, like Ruth, and even like Naomi, you can get through it by faith. Only by looking to God for strength, by remembering His blessings, and by leaning on Him can you overcome.

“O taste and see that Yahweh is good;
how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Ps 34:8)