Ruth 1:16-17

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death seperates you and me."
Ruth 1:16-17

We have all heard 1 Corinthians 13 (Love is patient, love is kind...), which tells us how God intended love to be. As you read down the list of things that love is and isn't, you will find that it is impossible to love someone as perfectly and flawlessly as it suggests. Only God can love us the way it's portrayed in 1 Corinthians, but that doesn't mean we aren't supposed to strive for that and get as close as we possibly can. What I love about Ruth is that it takes the love is patient verse and puts it into action. This woman (Ruth) is telling Naomi (a widow who has also lost her two sons) that she is going to stay with Naomi, and that Naomi cannot talk her out of it. Reading the whole book of Ruth makes this passage even more beautiful, because you will see the sacrifice Ruth is making to stay with Naomi. Many couples use this passage in their wedding vows, because it is the epitome of selfless love, and selfless love is something we should consistantly strive for. This is one of my favorite passages because it paints a beautiful picture of what true love looks like. It encourages me to love others better, and it helps me to allow myself to be vulnerable. What a truly inspiring passage.

-Kristen