In The Courier, a film inspired by true events, the main character, Greville, is confronted with a difficult decision. He learns that a close friend is going to be arrested and will likely face a grueling imprisonment. Greville can save himself from the same fate if he flees the country immediately and denies association with his friend. Moved with compassion, Greville loyally refuses to leave and is imprisoned, suffering the same agony as his friend. Neither man betrays the other. In the end, Greville is released a broken, but true and faithful companion.
Naomi needed a friend like that. When her husband and sons died, Naomi faced destitution and a long journey to her homeland. Naomi told her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth to remain in Moab and find a new life for herself (Ruth 1:8-9). Ruth responded, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go” (v. 16). Ruth loyally accompanied Naomi to a foreign land and helped provide for their family. Ruth’s faithfulness transformed their broken family into an incredible legacy. Much later, her great-grandson David would become king of Israel and was called a man after God’s own heart.
Facing suffering with others is daunting. But if we surrender our own will and seek God’s strength, He enables us to love people in extraordinary ways. In His power, we can choose to say, “Where you go, I will go.”
Who around you is walking a difficult road? How can you choose to walk alongside that person?
Thank You, Jesus, for never abandoning me.
Throughout Scripture, we find statements declaring the necessity of commitment to God or Jesus (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 8:34). Ruth’s statement of commitment is remarkable, however, because in addition to a commitment to her mother-in-law Naomi, she includes a commitment to Israel’s God: “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). This is surprising because she’s a Moabitess and a foreigner. Her declaration echoes that of Rahab (Joshua 2), the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-13), and the Canaanite woman (15:21-28). All these foreigners expressed confidence in or a commitment to God. Their acceptance shows hints of His love for the whole world.
