I haven’t really considered Ruth in the Bible as my namesake. Ruth is my middle name, but I had an Aunt Ruth who I knew I was named after. But I woke in the night and found myself wondering if Ruth’s story (Bible Ruth, not Aunt Ruth) factored into my parents’ choice at all. Sadly I can’t ask them, but I can totally own bible-ruth as my own. Here’s why.
My Bible College instructor liked to think of the book of Ruth as a love story. Ruth and Boaz, an unlikely match, brought together by tradition, by love, by God. And it’s a great story that ends in a happy connection. But primary I think Ruth is about deep friendship – it’s the relationship between Ruth and Naomi that takes centre stage. Also, in Hebrew, Ruth means ‘friend’ or ‘friendship.’ Boaz is absolutely important, but for the security of both Ruth and Naomi. So Naomi skillfully guides Ruth through the points of mosaic law, choosing and courting Boaz – really, he hardly has a chance with Naomi’s wily plan.
But none of this would have happened if Ruth hadn’t pledged herself to Naomi. Friendship feels like the only word that works here – love can exists without friendship, but friendship needs love to thrive. After the death of Ruth’s husband she’s no longer obligated to stay in simple loyalty, but she clings to Naomi and pleads:
Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die — there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!’
Ruth 1:16-17
Friendship is deeply important to me. I cherish a few life long friendships. I’ve nurtured a few more friendships of 30 plus years. And I have a core group of spiritual companions with whom deep conversation, prayer, and sharing burdens is common and welcome. When Ruth says, “your God shall be my God” it defines their friendship as mutual and spiritually instructive – God is active in the connection between them. Naomi encourages Ruth to follow God’s law (the system of kinship redemption set up for the community by God), and then Ruth’s success with Boaz encourages Naomi to again hope in God. In a desperate situation, it’s what friends do who have committed themselves to love and serve God. This is the kind of friend I am committed to be.
