The book of Ruth begins with heartbreak. Naomi, her husband, and their sons had moved to Moab to escape famine, but tragedy struck. Naomi’s husband and both sons died. Left with her two daughters-in-law, Naomi urged them to return to their families so they could find security. One daughter-in-law returned home, but Ruth chose differently. Ruth made a bold, life-changing decision to go with Naomi into a future filled with uncertainty. She said, “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).
This wasn’t just a statement of loyalty to Naomi. It was a declaration of faith. Ruth was leaving behind her culture, the gods of her people, and the safety of what was familiar. She was stepping into a new land and a new faith, trusting in the one true God, whom she had seen reflected in Naomi’s life. That kind of courage doesn’t come from knowing the details of the future. It comes from believing that God is trustworthy.
As parents, we often face situations where the future feels unclear. We worry about raising our children in a world that doesn’t share our values. We wonder how they will navigate friendships, school pressures, or the tough questions of life. Like Ruth, we can’t see what’s coming next, but we can choose to trust God and live in a way that points our children toward Him. Just as Naomi’s faith influenced Ruth, our faith can shape the way our children learn to see God. When they see us pray, open Scripture, worship, and depend on God in daily life, they begin to understand who God is and why He’s worth following.
The rest of Ruth’s story (chapters 2–4) shows how God honored her courageous faith. Ruth found favor in the fields of Boaz, who would later become her husband. She and Naomi were provided for, and their family line eventually led to King David, and ultimately, to Jesus. Ruth’s decision to follow Naomi’s God not only changed her life. It changed history.
Parenting may not always feel as dramatic, but every day we face moments of faith. When we choose to trust God in uncertainty, when we hold fast to His Word, and when we show our children what it looks like to live for Him, we’re planting seeds that can grow into a lasting legacy of faith. Psalm 56:3 reminds us, “When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.” That’s what Ruth did, and it’s what we can do too: trust God even when we don’t know what’s next.
