What do you think about the name Ruth?

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the name Ruth? Is it that you have a great Aunt Ruth that has a single mole with three prickly little whiskers that tickle your chin every time she leans in for a kiss. For many of our candy fanatics, your mind instantly drifts off to the sweet buttery peanut filled chocolate covered nuggat, known as the Baby Ruth. Maybe it is for our baseball fans that they think about argueably the greatest home-run hitter of all time. I would be with many of those people, until the other night when my wife and I were doing a Bible study.
We were reading the book of Ruth. While reading Ruth, it became apparent to me just why Ruth was such an inspiration to my wife, and to many other Christians. How strong is your faith? Is it strong enough for you to leave all that you know. Even if you were a widow/widower, to go to a land that you are not at all familiar with? Would your faith be strong enough to say, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. your people, shall be my people, and your God, my God." (Ruth 1:16) It is amazing to think that she was willing to give up everything that she ever knew and everything that she had to follow her mother-in-law, which is directly following the Lord.
How many of us use the excuse that we are too busy, that we can't leave our friends, or that we are not good at these types of things? Ruth gives us courage to be able to do what we need to do, to be able to follow the Lord. What if you were doing all that we thought right? Like in Matthew chapter 19:20-21: The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
We each have our own special gifts that we are able to do the Lord's work. Ruth's talent was to be able to glean in a field. "May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge." (Ruth 2:12-13) We each need to make sure that we use our talents to bring those that do not know the Lord to the Lord. Once there, we need to use our talents to keep them there and to help them grow in he Lord. Why not take this opportunity to leave everything you know, by getting out of your comfort zone, and inviting someone to church. Who knows what effect you could have on someone. It could be the exact refuge that they need, or they could be searching for that one thing that is missing in their life. This could be their opportunity to start storing up their treasures in Heaven. I hope that this has inspired you this week to talk to a friend about Jesus. Maybe invite a friend or stranger to church. Or has inspired you to even study more yourself, and see what other lessons individuals of the Bible are able to teach you. Thanks and God Bless!