Your people shall be my people...

Hi!

We are not born to serve ourselves... we are born to be servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

We are born to be faithful, to be loyal, which is to say, to be what is not so common in our current day.

Proverbs 20:6 says,

"many a man proclaim his loyalty, but a faithful man, who can find?"

We are born to be loyal to someone else. Today, I was reflecting on Ruth 1:16, one of the key verses in my life. So I went online to see what the various commentaries had to say, and I just loved what I found in the Clarke's Commentary.

Here goes.

Baraka
......
The Targum adds several things to this conversation between Naomi and Ruth. I shall subjoin them:
"And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee," for I desire to become a proselyte. And Naomi said, We are commanded to keep the Sabbath and other holy days; and on it not to travel more than two thousand cubits.
And Ruth said, "Whither thou goest, I will go."

And Naomi said, We are commanded not to lodge with the Gentiles.
Ruth answered, "Where thou lodgest, I will lodge."

And Naomi said, We are commanded to observe the six hundred and thirteen precepts.
Ruth answered, What thy people observe, that will I observe; as if they had been my people of old.
And Naomi said, We are commanded not to worship with any strange worship."
Ruth answered, "Thy God shall be my God."

Naomi said, "We have four kinds of capital punishment for criminals; stoning, burning, beheading, and hanging."
Ruth answered, "In whatsoever manner thou diest, I will die."
Naomi said, We have a house of burial.
Ruth answered, "And there will I be buried."

....

Our destinies, whether destiny in time or destiny in eternity, is determined by who we choose to not only ally with or pledge alligence to, but who we are joined to by covenant.

May we, like Ruth, know when to say thus to the right person.

And stick to it.

Shalom.