Who defines your value system ?

We leave in an age where the world value system has changed significantly from the old days. As Christians we must have a different value system. My question is who defines your value system?

The book of Ruth is a very interesting one, with many lessons to be learned. Many have preached over the years of many good things from the book of Ruth.  Let’s have another look at what we can learn from the book of Ruth.

Just in case you are not familiar with the account it can be read from Ruth 1 to 4.

So what lessons can we learn from the book of Ruth?

• Ruth must have seen something that she valued in her mother in law that she could not find in her own home.  We must remember that Ruth had an opportunity to return to her people and to her gods.
  
  

Ruth 1

 11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

• Ruth must have decided to be herself and not moved by what other say. She stayed focused on what she knew and saw. Despite the fact that she had lost her husband, she still cleaved to her mother in-law.
  
   
  
  
• Another interesting point is that, others saw value in what she did and did not call her a foolish woman. (Ruth 3: 11)
  
  

Ruth 3: 7 - 11

7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.

10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.



Ruth was a godly woman. The above account makes it clear that Ruth had a different value system than Orpah, the other wife of Naomi’s son. She decided to go back to unto her people and her gods. So what made the difference?  Their values decide their choices.

The decision would not have been easy for Ruth but she stood by what she wanted and valued. Her circumstances were very difficult. Ruth had no children, lost her husband, now she is left with a choice to go back to her people.  Despite these difficult circumstances, she stuck to her values and followed them through.

When things get rough or tough, do you compromise your values? Do you allow difficult circumstances to determine your choices or do you stick to your value systems?

The Lord rewards faithfulness and Ruth was greatly rewarded. Today, Ruth has a record in the genealogy of David, from where our Lord Jesus Christ came from. Why? Because she stood by her value system.

  Ruth 4: 13 - 17

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.

14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

What a beautiful ending. Weeping may endure for a while, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30: 5).

Its worth everything to stick to good and godly values.

Bisi Oladipupo