Why did Naomi tell Ruth to return to her own gods (Ruth 1:15)?
Implied in Naomi’s charge to Ruth seems to be a lack of concern that she would worship the one true God. In the Middle East at that time, people were seen as an inseparable unit, part and parcel with their land and their gods. God’s call of Abraham had challenged that view, envisioning a blessing encompassing “all the peoples on the earth” (Genesis 12:3). Naomi should have remembered that original plan. Jesus reiterated this worldwide mission when he told us to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Our message about God is for everyone–as was Abraham’s . Our concern should always be to share the truth of eternal life in Jesus Christ, regardless of a person’s culture or background.
