arn from Naomi, as another has pointed out, the power for
blessing that may be in one consecrated life. Naomi was a very hidden
and obscure woman. Had you walked by her side as, hunger driven, she
left her native land, she would not have told you anything of the great
destiny that was ahead. She never dreamed of enriching the world as
she did. It never occurred to her that she was to be one of the great
light bringers of all the centuries. And yet such was to be the case.
The world simply could not get on without Naomi. It could not for the
simple reason that Naomi led Ruth into the knowledge of God and into
the fellowship of the people of God.

"Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God." That is Ruth's
confession of faith. How did she come to make it? How did this lovely
heathen ever come to fall in love with Naomi's people? She had never
even seen them. She made up her mind, however, that they were the
people, of all others, that were most worth knowing. She made up her
mind that they must be very winsome and very lovable people. How did
she come to that conclusion? Answer: By association with her
mother-in-law. That is also how she came to fall in love with God.
She was led to the realization of the charm of Him through the
God-possessed personality of Naomi.

So it was Naomi who won Ruth to God. It was Naomi who made possible
Ruth's successful marriage. Then one day the sweet angel of suffering
came to the home where the one-time-stranger lived and Ruth held her
first-born in her arms. And the years went by and there was another
child born among the Judean hills and the sunshine was tangled in his
hair and countless songs were pent up in his heart. And he so sang and
battled and sinned and repented that everybody loved him and we thank
God still for David. And David was Ruth's grandbaby.

Then other years went by and there was a burst of light upon those
Judean hills. And there was music from a choir that came from that
country where everybody sings. "There were shepherds abiding in the
fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And the angel of the
Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them
and they were sore afraid. And the angel said, 'Fear not, ye, for
behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all the
people; for there is born unto you this day, in the city of David, a
Savior who is Christ the Lord.'" And that Savior was an