And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. — Ruth 1:16 KJV
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. — Ruth 1:16 NIV
Reflection on Verse for Today
In a spiritual context, this bible verse can be considered a kind of conversion moment. We can see here that Ruth was pledging allegiance not just to a person but to a new way of life — a new community and a new understanding of God. In that way, Ruth’s words are an invitation for us today to consider our own commitments and the lengths to which we are willing to go for LOVE, for FAMILY, and for FAITH.
As Christians, we can also read Ruth’s commitment as a foreshadowing of the ultimate commitment made by Jesus Christ. He left His heavenly home to walk among us and to share in our joys and our sufferings and to bring us into His family. So His commitment to us was so profound that He died for us, breaking down the ultimate barriers of sin and death that separate us from God.
Just as Ruth was adopted into the family of Israel and became an ancestor to King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ, we too are adopted into the family of God when we make a commitment to follow Jesus. Our backgrounds, our past mistakes, and our differences are no longer barriers to this divine relationship.
In contemplating this Bible verse, let us consider the depth of our own commitments—to our families, to our communities, and to our faith. May Ruth’s declaration inspire us to loyalty and steadfast love, both to God and to those around us.