Ruth and Tebow

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

Ruth 1:16

Never have one person’s words so changed the course of history for themselves.  This is one of my favorite verses in the bible about one of my favorite people in the bible: Ruth.   It’s not so much that I love the words in this verse as much as I love the faith this woman had and how her whole life changed the moment she spoke them.

You see Ruth was not born in Israel.  She was not one of God’s ‘chosen’ people.  She had not grown up hearing stories of His faithfulness or His goodness.  But clearly she had something planted in her heart that was for Him.  Maybe it was from being married to someone who was an Israelite or having a mother in law who knew of the Lord.  Maybe they told her stories of Him and something resonated in her. 

When Ruth’s husband dies she was urged by her mother in law Naomi to return to her own people in Moab, while Naomi journeyed back to Israel.   She tells her to go back to her “gods”.  Meaning, to go back to a people who worshipped something that was false, something that could do nothing for her.  Good thing Ruth doesn’t listen to Naomi.  And then she makes the statement quoted above.  More important than choosing to stick with Naomi, she chooses the Lord.  She chooses the one true God. 

From that moment on God’s faithfulness is poured out on her.  She returns with Naomi and ends up remarrying a wealthy man in Naomi’s family.  She is loved and blessed with children of her own.  But the most amazing thing about it is who Ruth becomes.  Maybe as a reward for choosing Him or maybe for some other reason, Ruth becomes the great grandmother of David and the great- great- great “multiplied by a big number” grandmother of Jesus Christ!  A foreigner is in His lineage.

 Why does God do that and what does that show us?  I think God seeks to show us here that it doesn’t matter where you come from and what your background might be.  God is able to use anyone, no matter who they are as long as they are willing to be used by Him.  I think He also weaved her into the lineage of Jesus to show us that our heritage does not define us or make us important.  What’s important is the state of our hearts.  We’re not special because we come from a prestigious background.  It doesn’t matter if we come from a whole line of people who have believed in God and followed Him.  What matters is what WE think of Him.  

I personally come from a family that is very tied to a quality and prestigious education.; the more elite, the better.  I’ve always valued the education I received, but truth be told I’ve also always thought it made me somebody sort of special.  I’ve used my degrees and the places from which I’ve received them to open many doors for myself.  What I’ve failed to realize until recently is that none of this really matters to God at all.  He proves it in how he uses Ruth.  All my educated smarts mean very little to Him.   What He cares about is far more important and that is a submission of my heart and my will to His.  He is far more intelligent and wise than I am.  In fact He has shown me that I am rather foolish. 


I actually just watched Tim Tebow's press conference as he joins the New York Jets.  As it concluded the reporters acknowledge what much of the public has been saying.  "Why a press conference for someone who is not even a starting quarterback?"  Essentially why the hype over this guy?  God is using him in mighty ways through football and it's not to win games.  He's chosen him and put him in a spotlight to represent Christ.  Why him?  Again, like Ruth, he is not the obvious choice.  He's not the best player.  But he is clearly willing.  He has a heart for God.  Because of that God has placed him in such a position.  Many say he's just a pawn for his team to bring them media attention.  Yes, he is in a way.    But not a pawn.  He a representative of his faith and God is giving him (through the media) many opportunities to share it.  

So I ask you now, what is the state of your own heart?  Are you for Him?  Do you want Him?  He certainly wants you.  And there is no telling what He might do with your life if you desire for it all to be His.