The way of blessing- In Psalm 119:1-8, the author uses words like walk, keep, seek, look, praise, and learn to describe what a life of blessing looks like. All these actions are to be lived in relation to the word of God, and most importantly, to the God of the word.

The reward- God's grace and love are truly without bounds. Ruth and Boaz were blessed with a son named Obed. Not only did they receive the gift of a child, but that child became part of the Messianic line, and the grandfather of king David.

A redemption story- Ruth could do nothing in her own effort to earn or deserve the grace that Boaz showed her. Boaz paid the required price of redemption to receive Ruth as his wife. Ruth and Boaz give us one of the clearest pictures of the gospel in the Old Testament.

The place of rest- Where is your place of rest? Like Ruth, our place of rest should be found at the feet of the redeemer. Our redeemer, Jesus, will not rest until His work is done in our lives and we are together with Him in glory.

A marriage proposal- When Naomi heard about the kindness that Boaz showed Ruth, she encouraged Ruth to give a marriage proposal to Boaz. Boaz held a special position as the kinsman-redeemer that made him eligible to marry Ruth.

Handfuls of purpose- God is "able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think." Ruth and Naomi both experienced this truth about God's love toward us when God graciously provided food for them from an unexpected source.

Ruth taking initiative- It would have been easy for Naomi and Ruth to adopt a victim's mentality when they returned to Israel with nothing. Instead, Ruth decided to go find work so they could buy food. God is a generous and gracious provider for His children.

Blessing and affliction- Naomi left Israel with her family because there was a famine. Ruth made the decision to follow Naomi back to Israel because she knew they served the one true God. Sometimes God lovingly brings affliction in our lives to drive us back to Him.

The book of Ruth- The book of Ruth is a story of love and redemption. Ruth was a woman who displayed faithfulness to God during a time of faithlessness despite her gentile heritage. Her life shows us that God is willing and able to use anyone who will abandon the ways of the world and serve Him.

A beloved friend- In his final words and greetings, Paul acknowledged some of his most faithful friends in ministry. If we want strong, Godly friendships, we need to be loving and faithful towards others.