Ruth 1-4

Really good historical background, notes and commentary on the book of Ruth here (scroll down to the section entitled "Notes and Commentary on Ruth 1-4").

Thinking about what Ruth gave up to follow her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem. Some of the things she gave up include:

• Continued association with beloved family, friends, and acquaintances. These were important relationships she had built and nurtured her whole life. There was not the convenience of modern travel and communication methods, so leaving home must have been a much bigger deal than it is now. By traveling to Bethlehem, only (30 - 40 miles away, and yet that constituted a long journey with the means of travel available in those days), Ruth would likely never see her mother and father again. All of her relationships would be severed and become only memories. That must have been a big sacrifice for her. 
• Future opportunities for other relationships with her own people, including the possibility of remarriage to one of her countrymen. 
• Probably most or all of her stuff that she had accumulated at her home in Moab.  I think it is safe to assume that she had some nice things she had to leave behind.
• Probably a better standard of living than what she would have in Bethlehem. The two women were totally destitute when they arrived in Bethlehem. Gleaning, as Ruth did, was an activity of the poor, to scrap up whatever food they could find.

Now let's see what Ruth gained by loyally following her mother-in-law to Bethlehem:

16 And Ruth said, Entreat 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:

• Ruth gained the God of Israel, the true and living God, with all His blessings and scriptures and Gospel and commandments and promises to His faithful followers. She gained the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She gained the privilege of becoming a covenant follower of God.
• She gained favor with a wealthy gentlemen, ended up marrying him, and has a child with him, a child whose line would continue to produce King David. Out of that same line we know came Jesus Christ.  

I would say Ruth got a pretty good deal on the sacrifices she made. It appears that everything she gave up was well worth it and more!

It is easy to see the moral of the story here: anything we sacrifice to gain God and His gospel will be more than worth it in the end. Easy to see the moral, yes. Easy to make the necessary sacrifices? Not so much. Even so, may we all make whatever sacrifices are necessary in our lives to follow God and His gospel and to be found among His people.

Ruth 1.