Let us study the beautiful character of Naomi, mother-in-law of Ruth.

First, consider Naomi the wife and mother. The strking thing about Naomi as a wife and mother is her faithfulness and support of her family. As her husband and sons moved to the land of Moab because of famine Naomi goes with them. She is completely supportive.

We can appreciate the great concern Naomi had as a wife and mother. There was a shortage of food. The future is uncertain. Yet she is supportive. Her husband dies and she is left with two sons of teenage years. How faithful she is. She is a good example of a mother caring for her boys in a foreign land.

Let us appreciate out mothers. Children, I hope you love your mothers. They care for you as no one does. I saw a documentary last week about children suffering from allergies. How touching it was to see the mothers caring for their loved ones. Children, love your mothers. They care for you.

Secondly, consider Naomi the widow. Can anyone feel the pain of this woman? In the land of Moab she loses her husband. She is left with two sons whom she must look after. We must never forget widows. They have a tough life and need support, which support is commanded in the Bible.

Then Naomi suffers another setback. Her two sons precede her in death. I have conducted my share of funerals but thankfully I have yet to conduct one where young people have preceded their parents in death. I imagine this kind of funeral is the most painful to conduct. Naomi buries her two sons in a foreign land. Her pain is acute.

Upon returning to Judah with her daughter-in-law Ruth, Naomi is greeted by the women of her town. Naomi tells them no longer to call her Naomi, which means "Pleasant", but to call her "Mara", which means "Bitter". Naomi says she left Judah full, that is, with family, but now she returns empty, that is, without family.

Naomi's btterness was not a bitterness agains God, rather it is indicative that she has been crushed in spirit and is brokenhearted. She is rather like Job who sas also crushed. Both Job and Naomi, although broken by life's harships, nevertheless did not turn against God. Indeed, Naomi says it was the Lord who afflicted her. Let us remember that God does send affliction. But thanks be to our God he has sent someone to heal the brokenhearted. Jesus Christ came to heal people like Naomi. 

Thirdly, consider Naomi the mother-in-law. Back in Juda with her daughter-in-law Ruth, Naomi shows her care for Ruth. She answers Ruth's queries as to how she should conduct herself and gives Ruth good counsel. As a mother-in-law Naomi is not so distant that she is uncaring, not is she so near that she is interfering. In brief, Naomi demonstrates the qualities of a good and wise mother-in-law.

Fourthly, consider Naomi the grandmother. In the final stages of the book of Ruth we see Naomi as a grandmother. Her daughter-in-law is married to Boaz  and has given birth to a son. We see the moving scene Naomi the grandmother taking the child in her bosom and becoming a nurse to him. She had done this on two previous occasions. But her two sons were gone. Now she is rewarded with a third child as it were. Naomi is a grandmother and a happy one at that.

The neighbouring women bless the Lord for his goodness to Naomi and invoke blessings upon the child. They also express the prayer that the child would be to Naomi a restorer of life and a nourisher of her old age. That is, the child would restore to Naomi the years of happiness for the years of bitterness she had endured. The child would also look after Naomi in her old age. What a lesson for all children. We should not abandon our parents. We do not abandon elderly parents when they have more wrinkles than money.

Naomi as a grandmother would nurture Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David. This final section in the book of Ruth establishes the lineage of David. Given the difficulties David experienced from some people hostile to his kingship we see from the book of Ruth the legitimacy of David's kingship.

Overall, as we study the life of Naomi we see that afflictions come from the Lord and serve the Lord's purposes. Afflictions are not a sign of God's abandonment. The life of Naomi demonstrates this. Although she was severely afflicted yet Naomi recognises the hand of the Lord in her afflictions. The Lord in his wisdom will send affliction to achieve his purposes.

This principle is seen throughout the Bible. Consider for instance the afflictions of Joseph, Moses, Job, David and Jeremiah. These mighty servants of God suffered immeasureably yet their afflictions served God's purposes and were in no way a sign of God's abandonment of them. Supremely, consider the life of Jesus Christ. He was severely afflicted, ultimately dying on a cross. Yet the heavenly Father accomplished his purposes through the suffering of Jesus. God may put you through severe trials but the trials serve his purposes. They are not evidence he has abandoned you. Trust him always, even in affliction. Trust him, even as the psalmist did when he said "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes" (Psalm 119:71).

(Summary of Sermon by David Yan)