Summary: Ministry can seem lonely and it can be hard to see where you fit. Ruth, the Moabite, was an outsider not likely to shape the kingdom of God. Yet ultimately she would be named in the lineage of the Messiah. God has been at work long before you were born. God will continue to be at work long after you are gone. Play your part well and trust Him with the results.
Ministry can seem lonely and it can be hard to see where you fit. You might say, “I feel insignificant and can’t see the big picture.” It can be hard to see where our contributions fit into the greater good. It is hard to quantify how “little old me” is making a difference in the kingdom of God. Let’s look at Ruth, the Moabite. You might be able to relate to her. The Old Testament story of Ruth is one of an outsider who was not a likely candidate to shape the kingdom of God. She was a foreigner in a foreign land. There was a famine. She was poor. She was a woman in a man’s world. To top it all off, she was a widow. She was about as insignificant as they come.
Ruth was the daughter-in-law to Naomi. Ruth stayed by her side. She took the position of a servant. Ruth followed Naomi’s instructions, not seeking for her own. This ultimately positioned her to be in the linage of the Messiah. Naomi told her what to do and she did it.
Listen, hard times will come. Ruth and Naomi experienced death, famine, societal challenges as widows and poverty. Naomi was likely a Jewish outcast and Ruth was an outright foreigner. Even as the conditions changed for the positive and Ruth married Boaz, no one could have seen the amazing future children, grandchildren and great grandchildren that would come from this marriage.
Never forget. God has been at work long before you were born. God will continue to be at work long after you are gone. Play your part well and trust Him with the results.