CHARACTER

May 30, 2026

“When she(Naomi) saw that she(Ruth) was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.” Ruth 1:18

Naomi was a Hebrew woman who was married to Elimelech. They had two sons named Chilion and Mahlon. Because there was famine in the land of Judah, the family moved to Moab to survive. While they were living in Moab, the two sons got married to Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth.

As time passed, all the men in this family died, leaving only Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth. One day, Naomi heard that the LORD was providing food to the people in her homeland, and she decided to return with her two daughters-in-law. As they were on the way, Naomi reasoned that there was no point in taking Orpah and Ruth to go with her. They were Moabites. They were still young, and they could find new husbands. Naomi told them to return. Orpah and Ruth both said they wanted to go on with their mother-in-law. Naomi was firm. She once again told them to return to their homeland of Moab. At this, Orpah kissed Naomi and returned. But Ruth wasn’t yet firm with her decision to go to Judah with Naomi. When Naomi realized how determined she was, she gave up trying to convince, and the two of them went to Judah.

When I look at this, I am impressed with both Naomi and Ruth. Judah was a foreign land with a different culture and a different religion. Yet Ruth wanted to know about the God of Naomi. Transitioning to a new environment is very challenging, but for Ruth, it was worth a try. Eventually, Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of the great King David.

But what impressed Ruth so much that she was willing to move to Judah with Naomi? I believe it was Naomi herself who impressed Ruth. The lifestyle and character must have impressed Ruth so much. Her life of faith was speaking to Ruth. Her character showed the love of God. Naomi influenced Ruth through her actions.

Our actions will speak a lot. It will speak to people around us. It will influence others.