Ruth 1:6-10

A SIMPLE WITNESS

It was never the intention of Elimelech to stay in Moab forever. He had always intended to return to Judah. Death prevented him from doing so. It should not surprise us, then, that when Naomi heard that the famine had ended that she would want to return to her home. Notice also whom she gives the credit to for the famine coming to an end – “The Lord had come to the aid of his people,” she said. Her daughters-in-law intended to go back to Judah with her. Naomi wanted to do what was best for them – in her mind that was to encourage them to stay in Moab. In Moab their families could care for them as widows. In Moab they had a better chance of finding another husband who would care for them. That was Naomi’s prayer for them. Orpah and Ruth, however, continued to say, “We will go back with you to your people.”
 
The story is just beginning to unfold but in these five verses we can take this from Naomi – she witnessed and lived her faith. During the time that she had Orpah and Ruth as daughters-in-law and here, in what was intended to be her final farewell to them, she did not shy away from referring to the name of the Lord. He was the one who had provided for his people in Judah. He was the one who would provide for Orpah and Ruth in Moab. Simple witnessing – in our actions and in words of blessing and prayer and praise that other people hear – can go a long way in not only opening doors for us to speak of God’s forgiveness in Jesus, they can also go a long way in giving us a better comfort level in sharing our faith with others. The people whom we know in our lives will come to expect such talk from us and perhaps they will be more inclined to listen when we tell them about Jesus and all that he did for us.  God will be with us to bless us in every situation.