09-22-19, Book of Ruth, Week 1 of 2, From Judges to Ruth

Oconee Presbyterian Church

The book of Judges is so hard to read. It has violence against the natives in a land, against foreigners into a land, and against women. Right after Judges is the book of Ruth. In it, women are treated with more dignity. Foreigners are treated with welcome, hospitality, and generosity. Of those two sides of the story, Jesus is born from the Ruth side. Jesus is a descendant of the family that loves the stranger, welcomes the outcast, and shows generosity to the foreigner. Perhaps if we were to do the same, we would find future scriptures written about us!

Rev. Joel L. Tolbert preaching Ruth 1