Day 101 - Naomi and Ruth

Danielle Sapienza & Emily Green


“And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. 15 “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.” - Ruth 1:14-18 NLT

The first mentor-and-mentee relationship we’ll look at this week is between Naomi and Ruth. Naomi was the mother of Orpah and Ruth’s late husbands. Naomi’s husband had also passed away, and the three women had set out to go to a new land together.

However, along the journey, Naomi tells the women to turn back. After some discussion and tears, Orpah decided to go home, but Ruth chose to stay. The Scriptures say Ruth “clung tightly” to Naomi (Ruth 1:14) and would not leave her. Once Namoi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, Ruth began to work for a man named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s and would later become Ruth’s husband.

I love this pairing because Ruth refused to be separated from Naomi. She was committed to doing life with her and learning from her. Ultimately, Ruth’s commitment to her mother-in-law, her mentor, led her to the great joy of meeting Boaz and becoming his wife.

As mentees, we must stay committed to our mentors. As we mentioned yesterday, it is the mentee’s job to seek out the mentor, and we see this play out in the life of Ruth. She could have chosen to move on without Naomi, but instead, she decided to stay committed, and God blessed her for it.

As mentors, we should note our mentees’ commitment level. Are they pursuing time with us? Are they serious about learning from us? If someone is trying to do life with us, let’s do our part and honor that commitment.


Next Steps

  • Think about it: When was the last time I intentionally sought time with a mentor?

  • Think about it: Who do I want to do life with? Who has asked to do things with me recently?

  • Action Step: Set an appointment this week to meet with your mentor or someone you’re mentoring.