Getting news by the grapevine is nothing new. Word of mouth has been a source of news for many thousands of years. Even in the time of the Book of Ruth, news traveled between communities and countries by people. Caravans traveling along “˜the king”™s highway”™ that extended from Egypt into Edom then into Moab with an intersecting route across the Jordan River into Judah would carry all kinds of news.

How did you hear about September 11, 2001? Was it someone telling you to turn on your TV?

How did you hear about someone in your family with the happy news of a new baby coming into their household? Didn”™t someone first tell you?

Bad news ““ good news, no matter what news it is, it is all important information.

Naomi had been living in Moab for at least ten years. There her husband died, her two sons married and also died. Now a major life changing situation is about to occur.

(NASB) Ruth 1:6-7 “Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them food.”

***The famine was over and Naomi took a bold step to return to the land of her birth. Ten years is a lengthy time, and she could have opted to stay put. It would have been easier and not as much upheaval to go through the hassle of such a move.

From Scripture there is not the sense that she even gave the rigors of moving a second thought!

Notice that the two daughters-in-law also intended to make the move with her. They had become a bonded family. And as they were preparing to go, Naomi may have had second thoughts about these two younger women. They were Moabites, not Hebrews. They had their own gods they worshiped, their families were in Moab, not in Judah.

(NASB) Ruth 1:8 “And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “˜Go, return each of you to her mother”™s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.”

***What a wonderful caring person Naomi must have been. She released both women to return to their mother”™s home.

She blessed her daughters-in-law with loving words and a grateful attitude. They both had exhibited kindness to their husbands and to Naomi. Naomi was a thankful person and she showed her appreciation through her words.

Generosity and thoughtfulness of others is a godly characteristic.

(NIV) 1 Corinthians 13:5 “[love]is not self-seeking”¦”

***Naomi did not insist that these women go with her so that they would take care of her. Her love was patient and kind toward them ““ that is what the action of love does ~ it sacrificially lets go.

(NASB) 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind”¦”

What do you need to consider as good news and/or bad news comes to your ear?

What comes to mind as you consider how your prayer will agree with God”™s word?