Five-Minute Study: Biblical Example - Ruth

GENTLENESS
Showing consideration and personal concern for others

BIBLICAL EXAMPLE - RUTH Ruth 1-4

(If this is presented to children personally, some type of visuals should be used).

How many of you have heard of King David? Do any of you have great-grandparents who are still alive? David’s great-grandparents were two people named Boaz and Ruth. Today we are going to find out how the gentleness of Ruth and Boaz brought them the wonderful reward of being not only David’s great-grandparents, but also becoming the ancestors of Jesus, our Savior.

Ruth was from a country called Moab, but she had married an Israelite man, and lived with his family in her land of Moab. Eventually, Ruth’s husband died. She could have gone back to her family and stayed in her country. But Ruth was not alone. Her mother-in-law, Naomi, was still alive. Ruth loved Naomi very much. She knew that if she stayed with her family, Naomi would have no one to take care of her. Ruth pleaded with Naomi to let her stay and return to her home in Bethlehem with her.

In the Book of Ruth, chapter 1, verse 16, Ruth tells Naomi: Please don’t send me away. I will go wherever you go; I will live where you live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Ruth was willing to not see her family or her land again just so she could take care of Naomi. Naomi was happy that Ruth loved her and wanted to stay with her.

Ruth and Naomi went back to Naomi’s hometown of Bethlehem. Who else do we know who was born in Bethlehem? (Jesus). Since both Ruth’s husband and Naomi’s husband were dead, Ruth had to go out and work to take care of herself and her mother-in-law. She went out to the wheat fields and picked up the grain that was still on the ground after the harvesters had passed. The Book of Ruth tells us how Ruth was very considerate of Naomi. She brought extra food home for her.

Ruth worked in the fields of a rich landowner named Boaz. He was a relative of Naomi’s. Boaz had heard of Ruth’s kindness toward Naomi, so he was very kind and gentle toward Ruth. Boaz made sure that she was able to gather extra grain from the field. He protected her from any people who might harm her.

Soon Ruth and Boaz were married. What a wonderful blessing from God for a poor woman like Ruth! God had been kind to her because she had been kind to Naomi. Then God blessed both Ruth and Boaz by giving them a little baby named Obed. Ruth, Boaz and Naomi loved Obed very much and cared for him. When Obed grew up, he had a son named Jesse. Jesse was King David’s father.

Discussion Questions: Divide into small groups, with a leader for each group; Allow two minutes for discussion of the following questions:

Why do you think Ruth wanted to go with Naomi rather than staying in her own land with her family?

Have you ever been new to a strange place? Talk about how Ruth might have felt when they first got to Bethlehem. How do you think she felt when Boaz was so kind to her?

Application: How can you show kindness this week to -