Characteristics of Ruth in the Bible – The Bible is full of interesting stories and characters, but one stands out from the rest: Ruth. Ruth was a woman who was faced with many difficult decisions, but she always chose to do what was right. She was kind, compassionate, and generous, and she showed mercy even when it was not deserved. In this blog post, we will discuss the characteristics of Ruth and how they can apply to our lives today.
Table of Contents
Characteristics of Ruth in the Bible
- Foreigner
- Loyal
- Courage
- Generous
- Deep Faith
- Grace
- Virtuous Woman
- Ruth’s Faithfulness
- Strong Woman
- Unfailing Devotion
Woman of Foreigner, Loyalty, Courage, Generosity, and Deep Faith – Traits
In the Bible, Ruth is one of the most well-known women of faith. She was a foreigner who came to Israel and married into the Jewish faith. Ruth was also known for her loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi, as well as her courage in the face of adversity. Additionally, Ruth was generous with her time and resources, always looking to help those in need. Finally, Ruth had a deep faith that sustained her through all of life’s trials and tribulations. Let’s take a closer look at each of these characteristics.
The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness and love. It begins with tragedy, as Naomi loses her husband and two sons. She is left with nothing but her bitter heart. But God does not abandon her. He brings Ruth, a Moabite woman, into her life. Ruth shows amazing loyalty to Naomi, even though she has nothing to gain from it. She also marries Boaz, a godly man who loves and honors her.
The book ends on a happy note, as Boaz and Ruth have a son, Obed. But the real ending of the story is found in Matthew 1:5, where we learn that Obed was the grandfather of David, the great king of Israel. The story of Ruth is an amazing testimony to God’s faithfulness to His people, even when they are undeserving. It shows us that He is always working out His purposes for His glory and our good.
Foreigner
Foreigner: Ruth was originally from Moab, which was located east of the Dead Sea. At the time, Moab was considered to be a pagan nation. However, Ruth chose to leave her homeland and move to Israel with her mother-in-law, Naomi. This showed great courage on her part, as she was leaving everything she knew behind in order to start anew.
Ruth was a Moabite woman who, along with her mother-in-law Naomi, became part of the Israelite community. Ruth’s husband Elimelech had died, leaving her without any means of support. But Ruth was determined to stay with Naomi and to follow the God of Israel.
She went to live in Bethlehem and began working in the fields. Soon she caught the eye of Boaz, a wealthy landowner. Boaz was impressed by Ruth’s hard work and loyalty, and he married her. Ruth became an important part of the Israelite community, and her story is an inspiration to all who have ever been strangers in a new land.
Loyalty
Loyalty: Even though Ruth was not originally from Israel, she remained loyal to her husband’s family and their God. After her husband and sons died, Ruth could have returned to Moab. But instead, she stayed with Naomi and continued to worship the Lord. This loyalty would eventually be rewarded, as Ruth met and married Boaz, a wealthy man from Bethlehem.
Ruth is an excellent example of filial piety, or respect for one’s parents. Though she was not Hebrew herself, she chose to follow her mother-in-law Noah back to her homeland after her husband and sons died. Ruth could have easily returned to her own people, but she instead chose to honor her husband’s memory by caring for his mother. This loyalty extended to Ruth’s husband, Boaz.
When Boaz died, Ruth mourned him deeply and continued to live in his homeland. By remaining loyal to her husband and mother-in-law, Ruth showed great respect for her family and created a lasting legacy of love and devotion.
Courage
Courage: As we mentioned before, it took a lot of courage for Ruth to leave her homeland and move to a new country. But that wasn’t the only instance of courage in her story. After arriving in Bethlehem, Ruth went out into the fields to glean wheat so that she and Naomi would have something to eat.
This would have been difficult work, made even harder by the fact that she was a foreigner in a new land. However, Ruth persevered and continued working hard despite the challenges she faced.
Ruth was a Moabite woman who lived in a time when the Israelites were under occupation by the Assyrians. Her husband, Mahlon, was an Israelite, and they had two sons together. Tragically, both Mahlon and his brother Chilion died, leaving Ruth and her two sons without a husband or father.
In those days, it was very difficult for a widow to make a living. So, Ruth decided to leave her homeland of Moab and go with her mother-in-law Naomi to the land of Israel. Even though Ruth was not an Israelite herself, she showed great courage in leaving everything she knew to go to a foreign land.
When they arrived in Israel, Ruth went out each day to gather grain from the fields so that she and Naomi would have something to eat. One day, she happened to meet Boaz, one of Naomi’s relatives. He was impressed by her hard work and kindness, and he soon began helping her financially.
Eventually, Boaz and Ruth got married and had a son named Obed. Obed would become the grandfather of King David! From this little story, we see that God can use even the most difficult circumstances in our lives to accomplish His purposes. Just as He used Ruth’s courage to bring about good things in her life, He can use our courage to bring about good things in our lives as well.
Generosity
Generosity: Throughout her story, we see examples of Ruth’s generosity. First of all, she generously gave up her own comfort in order to care for Naomi. Additionally, when she went out into the fields to glean wheat, Ruth made sure to share what she gathered with those who were less fortunate than herself.
Even after marrying Boaz and becoming part of his household, Ruth continued to show generosity by giving gifts to Naomi from her new home.
The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of love, faithfulness, and most importantly, generosity. Throughout the story, we see Ruth being generous with her time and resources, even when she had very little to give. Her actions are a great example of what it means to be generous, and they continue to inspire people to this day. Let’s take a look at some of the ways Ruth was generous.
Ruth was generous with her time. Even though she was grieving the loss of her husband and had a baby to care for, she took the time to help her mother-in-law, Naomi. She gathered food for them to eat and made sure they had everything they needed. Ruth could have easily just focused on taking care of herself and her own needs, but she chose to be generous with her time instead.
Ruth was also generous with her resources. When Naomi asked Ruth to go back to her own family so she would not starve, Ruth refused. Instead, she insisted on staying with Naomi and helping her gather food.
And when Boaz offered to marry Ruth so she would have a protector, Ruth refused his help as well. She told him that he had already been too kind and generous by allowing her to gather food from his fields. Once again, Ruth could have taken the easy way out and accepted Boaz’s help, but she chose to be generous instead.
Deep Faith
Deep Faith: Finally, we come to Ruth’s deep faith. This characteristic is evident from the very beginning of her story when she decided to leave Moab and move to Israel with Naomi.
It would have been easy for Ruth to turn back or give up when things got difficult during their journey or after they arrived in Bethlehem. But because of her faith in God, Ruth kept going even when times were tough. And because of that faithfulness, God blessed her abundantly.
1. When Ruth left her home country to go to a land that was unknown to her, she did so out of obedience to God’s call. She could have chosen to stay in Moab, where she was comfortable and had family, but she chose instead to follow God into the unknown.
This took great faith, as she was leaving everything she knew behind. But Ruth’s faith was rewarded; because she followed God, she ended up in Bethlehem, where she met her husband Boaz and had a family of her own.
2. Ruth also showed faith when she decided to glean in Boaz’s field, even though she knew it would be hard work. By law, Ruth was entitled to glean only a small amount of grain from the edges of the field. But she went above and beyond, working diligently in Boaz’s field until she had gathered a large amount of grain.
This showed great faith on her part, as she trusted that God would provide for her needs even if it meant working hard. And once again, her faith was rewarded; Boaz was so impressed by her work ethic that he gave her even more grain than she could carry home.
3. The final example of Ruth’s deep faith comes from her decision to marry Boaz. At the time, Ruth was a widowed foreigner with no prospects for marriage.
But she put her trust in God, and He blessed her with a husband who loved and respected her. This took great courage on Ruth’s part, as she stepped out in faith even though the outcome was uncertain. But because she trusted God, He gave her the desires of her heart.
The story of Ruth is one of hardship and heartache, but ultimately one of hope. After her husband and sons die, Ruth is left alone in a foreign land with no means of support.
However, she refuses to give up or give in. Instead, she sets out to find work so that she can provide for herself and her mother-in-law. Ruth’s determination is rewarded when she meets Boaz, a kindhearted man who takes her under his wing.
Despite the challenges they face, Ruth and Boaz fall in love and get married. Their story is a testament to the power of grace under pressure. In the midst of difficult circumstances, Ruth remained strong and found joy in the arms of her husband. Her story is an inspiration to us all.
5 Steps to Implementing Leadership Qualities / Character in Our Lives
1. Be Humble
One of the most important qualities of a leader is humility. A leader is not someone who is boastful or thinks they are better than others. A leader is someone who is willing to put the needs of others before their own. They are also quick to give credit where it is due and are not afraid to admit when they have made a mistake.
2. Be decisive
A leader is someone who is able to make decisions quickly and efficiently. They are not afraid to take risks and they trust their gut instinct. Leaders also know when to delegate tasks and when to ask for help.
3. Be passionate
Good leader is passionate about what they do and they strive to instill that same passion in those around them. Leaders are also able to maintain their composure in difficult situations and remain calm under pressure.
4. Be committed
A leader is someone who is fully committed to their cause or belief. They are willing to put in the hard work necessary to achieve their goals. Leaders are also able to inspire commitment in others through their words and actions.
5. Be authentic
A leader is someone who is genuine and authentic. They are true to themselves and their values. Leaders are also transparent with those around them and they build trust by being honest and open.
We can see the character of Ruth in the Old Testament. after the death of her husband, she began a new life following the true God. In Ancient Israel the Biblical Story of Ruth’s Faithfulness can be summarized:
- She was a Relative of Naomi
- She Followed Ruth Back to the Women of Bethlehem
- She Followed Naoimi’s Instructions
- Search for Food in the Field of Boaz – during wheat harvests
- She Finds a New Husband
- On The Threshing Floor by laying at Boaz’s feet
The Story of a woman that had a beautiful relationship with her mother-in-law after the death of her Late Husband in Biblical Times.
Final Thoughts – Characteristics of Ruth in the Bible
Ruth is an excellent example of what it looks like to follow God with everything you have—even when it’s not easy. Her story is full of examples of foreigners being welcomed into God’s family; loyalty despite difficult circumstances; courage in the face of adversity; generosity towards those in need; and deep faith that sustains us through all of life’s ups and downs.
Anyone can be a leader if they have the right qualities. By being humble, decisive, passionate, committed, and authentic, we can all become the leaders we are meant to be. What leadership qualities do you possess? What leadership qualities do you want to work on? Implement these steps into your life and watch as you begin to see yourself as a leader too!
As we read about Ruth’s life and learn from her example, may our own faith be strengthened so that we can also follow God wholeheartedly no matter what challenges we face along the way!
God Bless Greg
Best Old Testament Commentaries
Below is a table featuring some renowned Old Testament commentaries, their publishers, and websites where they can be found. As always, it’s best to confirm availability on multiple platforms or the publishers’ websites.
| Commentary Name | Publisher | Website |
|---|---|---|
| The New International Commentary on the Old Testament | Eerdmans | Eerdmans |
| Word Biblical Commentary | Zondervan | Zondervan |
| Baker Commentary on the Old Testament | Baker Academic | Baker Academic |
| The Anchor Yale Bible Commentary | Yale University Press | Yale University Press |
| Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries | InterVarsity Press | InterVarsity Press |
| Expositor’s Bible Commentary | Zondervan | Zondervan |
| The Old Testament for Everyone | Westminster John Knox Press | Westminster John Knox Press |
Note: As with the New Testament table, this table provides generalized examples and does not list each volume within the commentary series. The commentaries can usually be found on the publishers’ websites or other online book retailers such as Amazon or Christianbook. It is always advisable to check for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding availability.
