WHEREVER you go, I will go!” says Ruth, even as her mother-in-law, with both her sons dead and no money in her name, poverty staring at her, decides to return to the land of her birth. Naomi frees her, tells her to remain in her own comfortable land, tells her she is young enough to get married again, and start a family, but does Ruth listen?
The other daughter- in- law, Orpah, listens to Naomi, knows she is being given a second chance and decides to stay back in the land of her forefathers, but not Ruth.
Ruth went beyond the opportunities of the present and saw that it was now that her mother-in-law needed her. Now when she was old, and poor, and needed a young person by her side, and for Ruth it was no decision, for her it was loyalty, duty, and nothing less. She had been with Naomi in happier days, and she would be with Naomi, even during her tough days!
But this story is beyond in-laws. It’s all about loyalty to a loved one, isn’t it? Haven’t we heard enough stories of husbands abandoning their wives who can’t conceive, wives leaving husbands who’ve lost a job, and many more getting out of their marriages when the other falls sick with a life-threatening illness?
“You can’t blame him, she’s got cancer!” we whisper, forgetting those vows we so solemnly said to each other during the wedding, confidently, looking into each other’s eyes and broadcasting it loudly over the mike, “I, take you, to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, till death do us part!”
Looking at what is happening now, it should have read, “Till you are fired from this job!” “Till you fall sick!” “Till I flip, fall or have a fling with another, more good looking, or moneyed than you!”
All these thoughts on loyalty, duty and commitment come to my mind as my wife Lata and I appeared for a video, in scenes which Reuben Mathew the director made so endearing for both of us, even as Besty Reuben sang Ruth’s song in her beautiful voice. https://youtu.be/wsyDPp0xU10 And here are some lines I’ve randomly selected:
Wherever you go, I will go you dwell, I will dwell, Your people will be my people and your God will be my God Wherever you die, I will die, There will I be buried, Jehovah do to me and more as well If anything but death parts me from youI promise you this day, that apart from death nothing will separate us. Where your grave lies, there will I meet my end too. Can we sing this song as a husband or a wife to each other, now?
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