Loyalty and Commitment

 Loyalty is rare today. People tend to look out for themselves and not to care about others like they should. Also, we do not see people making commitments and keeping them the way they should. They seem to give up on things way to soon. Just think how our world would be if everyone was loyal and made strong commitments.

Ruth is a great example of both of these virtues. She was from Moab, but when her husband died, she stuck with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and went back to Bethlehem with her. (Ruth 1:16) Ruth told Naomi, "Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God." We can all learn a lot from Ruth.

Ruth could have gone her own way, but she was loyal to Naomi. I wonder how loyal we are to our family and friends? Do we stick with them through thick and thin, or do we go our own way? God wants us to show genuine, unselfish love to others by being loyal and being there for those who need us. This should be true even if it causes us pain.

Also, Ruth made a huge commitment to change her belief in the gods of Moab and trust the Lord God of the Bible. She was willing to give up what she had been taught to make the commitment of her heart to the Lord. God honors that kind of commitment, and I want to encourage all of us to make sure we have made that commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

#NHBaptistdotorg

Tomorrow, I intend to read Ruth 2-4.