Powerfully influential women mark my life. Without these women (both godly and negatively) I would not be where I am today! Today we are going to talk about the very first powerfully influential woman in my life.
Ruth and I met when I was a teenager. I read the Bible book named after her and her journey. It was the very first Bible book I had read in its entirety, on my own.
Frustration often leads to growth… if you let it.
I read the book with much frustration!
My Sunday school teachers and Youth leaders would constantly tell us that we needed to do our devotions every day, but they never told us how. So I read the book closed my bible ad had no idea what I read.
It was in that frustration that I cracked open my Bible again and all the times after that and it is what caused me to return to Ruth time and again. Hindsight, my motivation perhaps wasn’t the best (I was trying to check the Christian boxes) but it is what drove me to seek God…
I read her story and it made no sense but I had no direction. The frustration churned in my heart. I wanted to give up but there was this nagging deep in my heart that I must keep trying. I stuck with Ruth, revisiting her frequently. She was my first truly influential friend, even though I had never met her in person. I was fascinated by her courage and faithfulness.
A woman who was more than likely gossiped about and maybe even poked fun at and most definitely frowned upon. I was in awe of her faithfulness both to Naomi(her mother-in-law) and a God of a nation that was not her own.
Over the years Ruth has taught me many things, like what it really is to be faithful- even in the middle of my very uncomfortable circumstances., courage to d what is right, and to step out in faith when I don’t understand the new “customs” (aka the New Normal).
Ruth Challenged me to trust God on a deeper level, choosing obedience despite not knowing the outcome.
Perhaps most importantly- how to have laser focus on obedience to God rather than the voices that were around her. I’m inferring here. But we know that Ruth was a Moabitess and the Moabites were looked down on by the Israelites, so her very presence was not welcomed. I can’t imagine the frustration she felt. Yet, she never gave up and was obedient.
I thought then and I still think now I want to be like Ruth when I grow up full of courage, faithfulness, and perseverance.
It’s Your Turn: Which Bible person made the first and lasting impact on your life and why? Let me know in the comments below!
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