Love comes with some inherent risks. We risk having someone take advantage of our love. We risk not having our love reciprocated. We even risk being betrayed by someone we love. And it may make one wonder whether or not love is worth the risk. In one of, if not the most beautiful depictions of love between two people in the entire Bible, Ruth refuses to leave Naomi and chooses instead to remain with and care for her mother-in-law. And there are two things we learn about love from Ruth and Naomi that, if we apply to ourselves, will help reduce the risk of love.

Ruth 1:11-18 (ESV)

But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

Lesson Resources:

Rick Atchley. “Hard to Love.” Sermon presented at The Hills Church, Richland Hills, TX, 2011.

Daniel I. Block. Judges, Ruth. The New American Commentary, Vol. 6. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 1999.

Mary J. Evans. Judges and Ruth: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 7. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2017.