This painting tells the story of Ruth’s faithfulness. As it is told in the Bible, Ruth’s father-in-law and husband tragically passed away in Moab, Ruth's home town. In the midst of a famine, and after losing her son and husband, Ruth’s mother in law was preparing to move home to Bethlehem. And although Ruth’s sister-in-law decided to stay in Moab, Ruth faithfully stayed by her mother in law’s side even though it meant living as a foreigner. As believers, like Ruth, we are called to be foreigners in this world, as Christ was. Ruth’s story is an image of how we should approach difficult circumstances. In the end though, she was rewarded, for although she left everything behind and lost the one she loved, she was given a new husband in Bethlehem, and from their joining, generations later, came Jesus. When life circumstances feel hopeless and confusing, like Ruth, we must trust that God knows exactly what He’s doing and, as it’s promised in the Bible, will work every hardship out for good for those who are faithful (Romans 8:28).
