In the second episode of our mini-series Ruth Pt 2: Clinging to Community, Walking The Text content director, Brad Nelson, examines the two dramatically different ways of responding to pain and adversity found in the book of Ruth.
With no husband, sons, or male heirs to provide for her, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. But somewhere along the way, she encourages her Moabite daughters-in-law to go back to Moab. In her trauma and grief, Naomi does what many of us do when we’re hurting: she cuts herself off from the people who love her most. When facing adversity, evil seeks to exploit our pain and convince us that we’re alone. But what feels true and what’s actually true are often two very different things.
Ruth has lost a lot too. She’s a widow. She’s been barren. And now she’s following her bitter mother-in-law to a country where she’ll be seen as a potential enemy and threat. But despite that, Ruth’s response to adversity is dramatically different than Naomi’s. Instead of cutting herself off, Ruth clings to the community she has. Her response becomes the core theme of the book of Ruth and solidifies her place as one of the most inspiring characters of the Bible. By the end of Ruth Pt 2, Clinging to Community, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the power of community to help us practice faithfulness in the face of adversity.
To view the Discussion Questions for this episode, please go here bit.ly/ruthpt2
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