This is the fifth book in my Behind the Seen series. Originally, I did not plan on writing a Bible study on Ruth. Not because I don’t love the story—I do! But, let’s face it, there are already a lot of studies written about her. Do we really need one more? But when my friend Francine Rivers sent me an email, encouraging me to continue writing studies highlighting the women in Christ’s lineage, I felt the Lord’s gentle nudge to step out in faith.

After studying Ruth’s story for over a year, I came to realize that perhaps no other story in the Bible captures the concept of my theme Behind the Seen like Ruth. With God’s sovereignty all but hidden in the written pages, yet clearly at work throughout the story, I’ve come to see Ruth in a whole new light.

Ruth is one of only two books in the Bible named after a woman, and the only book named after a foreign woman. And yet the story of Ruth is read in Jewish synagogues every year during Shavuot (the harvest festival). While the book of Ruth is often hailed as a tender love story, a central theme of the book is kindness. Unlike today’s view of kindness as someone who is helpful or good-natured, biblical kindness often involves deep, unending loyalty.

Friend, I invite you to come with me on a captivating journey of kindness: from a barren land, to a barley field, to a bold betrothal, and finally, to a babe in a manger. Are you ready? Let’s rediscover the kindness of God.

Your sister in Christ,

Shadia

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy . . .”

Titus 3:4–5