Love in a City of COntempt (Ruth 1:6-18)
In Ruth 1:6–18, Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to return home after a devastating loss. Her words are practical and loving—but they’re also shaped by bitterness. Having lost everything that once gave her a sense of security, Naomi resists love. She believes she has nothing left to offer.
Ruth responds with a love that refuses to detach. She clings to Naomi and declares, “Where you go I will go… your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Ruth rejects a world that measures worth by outcomes or status. Her love is not about convenience or benefit, but about commitment, belonging, and worship.
This is love that persists in the face of resistance—and it changes Naomi. She stops arguing. She receives love.
Ruth’s love points us to Jesus. What Ruth shows in part, Jesus fulfills completely. He attaches himself to us, not because we are worthy or put together, but because he loves us. And as we learn to receive that love, we are freed to show it—to resist contempt and embody a love that stays.
Discussion Questions
Where do you notice resistance to love in your own life—either giving it or receiving it?
How does Ruth’s commitment challenge common ideas of love as transactional or conditional?
What might it look like for you to show love this week simply by staying present and close?
