Mother In Law Ministry

Rise and Shine for Jesus! \O/

By Pam Iannello (my late mother)

Ruth 1:14-17 (KJV)

And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. [15] And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. [16] And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: [17] Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Oftentimes as we read the story of Ruth, we study it in the context of marriage. However, I was greatly convicted of this young woman’s wholehearted commitment to her mother-in-law! Ladies, how do you really feel about your husband’s mother? After reading this moving account of Ruth’s heart toward Naomi, can you say you are as committed as Ruth to having a right and respectful relationship with your mother-in-law? In contrast to Orpah, another daughter-in-law whom the Bible reports as having “kissed” Naomi, there is definitely a depth to Ruth’s resolve to get along with her mother-in-law that goes beyond just a surface relationship. Her character was such that she would not easily give up on her husband’s mother. It was a deliberate choice she made to prove her love to Naomi – in spite of the treatment she received in return…

Ruth 1:18-21 (KJV)

When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. [19] So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? [20] And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. [21] I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Though they were both facing personal grief, Ruth was handling the situation much better than her mother-in-law! While Naomi had changed greatly during her crisis, the grace of God was evident in Ruth’s life. Ladies, when you and your mother-in-law face the same trying situation, is she able to witness the strength and stability of the Lord in you? Are you able to do right in spite of the fact that she may not be interested in doing so at the time? Do you purpose in your heart to support her through tough times, even when she is not able to bear up under her circumstances?  Many self-centered daughter-in-laws walk out on their mother-in-laws during those taxing periods when they are most difficult to live with. Not so with Ruth! She refused to part with her mother-in-law for unnecessary reasons. Ruth remained steadfastly committed to exhibiting love and patience toward a very bitter woman. Though her name means “pleasant”, at this point it time, Naomi did not exhibit such an attribute! You see, Naomi was not wrestling with Ruth; she was really wrestling with the Lord… If you notice in the above text, after the death of her husband, Naomi returned to her homeland with a very dedicated daughter-in-law by her side, yet still described herself as empty! Imagine kindly Ruth standing by hearing Naomi say those thoughtless words right in front of her. Basically, Naomi conducted herself in such a way that Ruth was of little importance to her. In essence, her mother-in-law declined to acknowledge the goodness of God in Ruth! How would such treatment affect you  having made the choice to leave your family to cling to a woman who didn’t even recognize or appreciate the depth of your love and devotion to her??  Would that be all it would take to send you storming out of the room and her life altogether? Not Ruth, she stood faithfully by and remained true to her purpose to care for this woman in good times and in bad! Ruth’s devotion to her husband’s mother was an extension of her devotion to her husband.  Is it so with you, dear lady? When Naomi was unable to see things clearly, the grace of God permitted Ruth to take a realistic view of the situation and react in a godly manner. This young lady knew it wasn’t a personal battle; it was a spiritual one…

Ruth 1:22-2:3 (KJV)

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. [2:1] And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. [2] And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. [3] And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

As the story continues to unfold, I am still impressed with Ruth’s determination and delicate approach to Naomi’s mood.  She purposed to work hard and in a humble capacity to care properly for her mother-in-law and herself. Ladies, do you put that much effort into achieving a favorable bond with your husband’s mother? Are you willing to put some blood, sweat, and tears behind your relationship? Though Naomi was not in a position to perform the labor, Ruth did not mind carrying the load. She was a servant at heart… In any relationship there comes a time when one person must be willing to put forth more effort to keep things running smoothly! I hope you are of the caliber that would do so!  Ruth knew she would find grace – and you will too! Through Ruth’s unwavering efforts, Naomi would soon begin to let go of her bitterness… 

Ruth 2:4-12 (KJV)

And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee. [5] Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? [6] And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: [7] And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house. [8] Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: [9] Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. [10] Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? [11] And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. [12] The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

As Ruth’s new employer, Boaz saw something different in this young damsel’s demeanor that stood out above the other women laboring in the field. What had he seen? The beauty of her heart! Ladies, it gets God’s attention when you are willing to exert yourself without protest in developing a warm, healthy relationship with your mother-in-law! As you learn to trust fully in Him, the Lord will bless your faithfulness and sacrificial hard work and recompense you with a rich reward for doing right. A type of Christ, Boaz extended the same loving-kindness and special oversight toward Ruth that she herself had displayed toward Naomi. In Boaz, she came face to face with her blessing, for the one who could reward her promptly compensated her for her allegiance to family. We all know how matters unfolded between Ruth and Boaz… They were soon married and God blessed this honorable couple with a son which, when born, dissolved the remainder of Naomi’s bitterness...

Ruth 4:14-15 (KJV)

And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. [15] And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

Yes, the bond between mother and son is certainly a strong one, but the bond that Ruth fashioned between herself and Naomi was better than seven sons could assemble! It was formed through God’s love... Had she not had such a faithful daughter-in-law, Naomi could have died an extremely miserable woman! How good it must have been for Ruth to see these happy changes unfurl before her eyes – in spite of the fact that Naomi rarely commended Ruth for her charity. It was enough that God had used her to restore Naomi’s blessing and nourish her back to emotional and spiritual health. The Lord employed other women in Naomi’s life who acknowledged Ruth’s worth to speak to Naomi of the decency in Ruth and the goodness of God. In chapter three, even Boaz stated that the entire city knew that she was a virtuous woman. It certainly isn’t any wonder that one of the sixty-six books of the Bible was named after Ruth. What a rich testimony!

Ladies, is there any reason you can’t experience similar purpose as a daughter-in-law?  What would keep you from gleaning such worthwhile results with your husband’s mother? Are you as devoted to preserving family life as Ruth was? Naomi could never regain the lost time out of God’s will, but she did regain her joy and testimony with her daughter-in-law’s self-effacing support. No matter how difficult family situations may be for you today, the only place for you is in the center of God’s will! If home ties are loose, it’s time to tighten them up with greater dedication. There is much wisdom in this story that we would all do well to put to good use and fresh attitudes we could all stand to imitate.   

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2002 Pamela A. Iannello

Revised 2005