Introduction to Ruth: A Love Story.

The book of Judges provides the setting for the book of Ruth. Israel is a society in decline after the death of Joshua. The gods of materialism and sensuality have overtaken them much like today in our culture.

Ruth opens with a man making decisions about the welfare of his family. Elimelech and his wife Naomi decide to take their 2 sons to Moab. Why? We are not sure.

Naomi is high and dry without her men who have all died. She is “high and dry” in hostile territory.

Naomi shows her true character by doing the right thing.

Ruth commits! To: Naomi—“Where you go, I will go; your people will be my people, your God will be my God.”

Naomi has to go back home to her hometown, broke and without a shampoo. How does she handle this?

Boaz, “a man of standing, prominent in his town, does the right thing and does right by the poor in his community. Just as a prominent man in his community growing up reached out to him. The story of Andrew Carnegie kicks it off.

The Exceptional Executive is the man or woman who invests in people—creating an atmosphere of good will where corporate growth and vitality is the norm.

Civility is treating other people with courtesy, politeness and consideration. It produces productive citizens and executives and workers.