“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

--Parallel verses:
Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭44‬-‭46‬ [Jesus speaking]
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Yesterday I shared that I followed God and stayed faithful to him out of duty when I was younger. Even when life got hard, God was with me and I was committed to him. I did not always like the circumstances I was in, but I trusted him more than anyone else.

This is a strong bond. But in my life, over time, I learned that I could love God and his Son, Jesus, not just out of duty, but like a bride loves her bridegroom — with all my excitement; with abandon, and a willingness to throw everything else away for this love. This type of love is so much greater than just a love of duty. It is an intimate and close love that clings to and runs to the one object of their love.

Ruth had this type of love for Naomi, but more than just Naomi … her God. She must have seen a true humility and a faithfulness to God in Naomi THAT WAS RARE. It was attractive. And though it seemed, now, in her heart to have faded a little bit, Ruth was calling it out in her. She knew Naomi’s God was faithful, Naomi and her family taught her this. And so she would not miss out on this adventure or leave Naomi’s side out of love.

Like a treasure found in a field or a pearl of great price, Ruth had found the meaning of life while she lived with Naomi, and she was going to RISK EVERYTHING to keep it. She risked 1) the comforts of home, 2) the closeness to her relatives, 3) the reputation she had, 4) her livelihood, 5) her ability to remarry, 6) becoming an outcast, 7) a potentially dangerous journey, and so much more. She cared not about her rights or possessions, just the wonderful relationship she had with Naomi, and by proxy, with Naomi’s God. What a truly remarkable woman. She modeled true adoration to and faith in God better than most Jews in her time.

Lord, I am humbled by Ruth. She is such a wonderful example of going for it in life. She LOVED WITH ABANDON! May it be said of me! May I seek after you and your ways until it costs me all I have, and in doing so, REJOICE! For you are the treasure, Jesus. You are the Pearl of Great Price!