Scripture: Ruth 1:16-1:17

Showing Your Love To Others

A couple that had been married for 50 years sat reflecting one day. The wife said, Things have really changed
over the years. You used to sit real close to me. But you havent done that for a while.! "ell # can fi$ that.!
said the man as he got up and moved closer to his wife.
You used to hold me real tight.! said the wife. %o the man wrapped his arms around his wife and as&ed,
'ows that(!
%he continued to say, You used to nu))le my nec& and nibble on my ear lobes.! At that the man *umped up
from the couch and dashed out of the room. "hen he returned she as&ed him where he had been. # had to go
get my teeth.! "as the reply.
This morning we are going to loo& at the first chapter of +uth and see five practical ways that you can show
love. The love that we are tal&ing about this morning is not only the love between a husband and a wife ,
romantic love. #t is also the love of friendship , in this case between a mother and her daughter-in-law. "e will
be loo&ing at the love between +uth and her mother-in-law .aomi.
Tell the story of +uth and .aomi.
/amine
0ove
'usband dies
%ons marry
%ons die
.aomi is left alone , bitter and heart bro&en. .aomi tells her daughters-in-law to pac& up and leave. There is
no reason for them to stay with around. .aomi can see no hope for the future. .o hope for marriage for the
two young ladies. .o future in sight for any of them. .aomi develops a pessimistic view of life. 1ne daughter-
in-law leaves but +uth says2
3456ntreat me not to leave you, 1r to turn bac& from following after you7 /or wherever you go, # will go7 And
wherever you lodge, # will lodge7 Your people shall be my people, And your 8od, my 8od. 39 "here you die, #
will die, And there will # be buried. The :ord do so to me, and more also, #f anything but death parts you and
me.!
+uth 3234-39 ;.<=>?
1. You show love by sticking with soeone through tough ties.
%omebody spelled the word love and he said T#06 ;walang iwanan?
+uth said she would stic& with .aomi through thic& or thin. .o matter what happened, +uth would stay by
.aomis side.
/A@T2 :ove has %tic&ing Aower.
/riends come and friends go, but a true friend stic&s by you li&e family.! Aroverbs 3B2CD ;0%8?
!. You show love by "#$usting to others.
Your people shall be my people, and your 8od, my 8od.! v.34
# never reali)ed how much ad*usting there is in life until # married 8relen. "hen a couple gets married there
are lots of ad*ustments that ta&e place and there should be. Your whole outloo& on life should change. You are
no longer single , two have become one. You have become a family. Things ad*ust7 from what you eat, to what
you wear. 1ne of the big ad*ustments in my life was the ad*ustment that happens . . .
:ove them anyway. Accept them.
%. You show love by re"ching beyon# your co&ort 'ones.
"here you die, # will die.! v.39
At this point # cant help but thin&ing about the marriage vows.
You &now the vows they go li&e this2 # promise to stay with you2
- /or better or worse7 richer or poorer. #n sic&ness and in health, till death do us part.
0aybe #m old fashioned but to me that vow says, #ll reach beyond my comfort )one to stay with you.!
=esus said it this way, 5#f anyone desires to come after 0e, let him deny himself, and ta&e up his cross daily,
and follow 0e.! :u&e E2CF ;.<=>?
+eaching beyond our comfort )ones means sel& s"cri&ice.
(. You show love by o&&ering encour"ging wor#s.
56ntreat me not to leave you, 1r to turn bac& from following after you7 /or wherever you go, # will go.5 v.34
+uth was telling her , youre not in this alone. "here ever you go , what ever happens to you , #ll be there.
Youll always have someone by your side.
%ong2 the rainbow will end in the palm of your hand, catch you its you fall, when the stars wonGt shine
anymore, #G:: B6 T'6+6. # "#:: B6 '6+6. . . H1.8H1.8"6. <A.T1
Aroverbs C5233 from the 0essage Bible says this, 5The right word at the right time is li&e a custom made piece
of *ewelry.5
/A@T2 "ords of encouragement and love need to spo&en - because they can have a great impact.
). You show love by putting their nee#s "bove your nee#s.
"hen she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped spea&ing to her.! v. 3B
:et me give you a little insight into this verse. This verse doesnt mean that .aomi stopped tal&ing to +uth
completely. "hat it means is when .aomi saw how determined +uth was , she stopped trying to persuade
her. +uth was determined that she was going with .aomi and no amount of tal&ing was going to stop her from
doing *ust that.
#t didnt matter how uncomfortable the *ourney was going to be. #t didnt matter whether there was going to be
food to eat. +uth was determined to stic& with .aomi , because she needed a friend.
5;:ove? bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.5 3 @orinthians 3F29 ;.<=>?
This story is a picture of 8ods love for you.
5There is a friend who stic&s closer than a brother.5 Aroverbs 3B2CD ;.<=>?
"ho is this friend - =esus.
3. 'ell stic& with you through tough times.
C. 'ell accept you *ust as you are.
F. 'ell reach beyond 'is comfort )one for you.
D. 'ell offer you words of comfort and hope.
5. 'e put your needs first when 'e went to the cross for you.
Through =esus @hrist you can have salvation.