Love

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? 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, 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 forth against me."

Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."

But Ruth said, "Entreat me not 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; where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you."
(Ruth 1:16)

My sister Ly shared this with me not too long ago and I thought it was such a beautiful story. She explained that when she would go to churches and read excerpts from the bible she felt like she had a different perspective because she was sort of an outsider. And I see that too when I read from these same books. Since I am a non Christian I might read Ruths story a little differently from a Christian.

Here is why I think what Ruth says is such a beautiful statement. I see a woman who loves her mother in-law so immensely that she willing to leave her land and her people, her customs, her religious beliefs, and her comforts to stay with Naomi. "where you die I will die, and there will I be buried.", I read this as, even when Naomi dies, Ruth will stay there in that land and not go back, she will be buried in the same place as her mother in-law.

"May the Lord do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you." I read this as, Ruth is willing to reap whatever consequences God has for her, no matter what they are.

I know many people who read this interpret it as Ruths love for God but I see it as Ruths love for Naomi. I think that has been interesting for me to read these things as an outsider and to be able to get so much from it.