Loyal Like a Golden Retriever

Okay, that's a bad simile. I'll go ahead and say it now, but I was trying to come up with a clever-ish title for this post, and that's what popped into my head, so I'm going with it. XD

I just finished reading the book of Ruth, and I just think it's awesome how loyal Ruth is. Naomi kept insisting and insisting that Ruth leave and go back home. She told her that's what would be best for her, that she could move on with her life and find a new husband.

Ruth insisted, too, though. She insisted that she stay right by Naomi's side.

I mean, these two were definitely women- as stubborn and insistent as we all are! XD

Anyways, this was the time that Naomi needed a friend most, and Ruth wasn't going to let her down. Naomi had lost her husband and had just recently lost both of her sons. Her second daughter-in-law left upon Naomi's insistence, but Ruth refused to budge.

I think this shows some serious selflessness. Ruth probably could have gotten on with her life again just fine, freeing herself from some old woman's troubles- they weren't her problems anyways, so she didn't have to be bound by them. But she didn't.

Ruth didn't. She stayed. She was selfless.

Ruth gave up her own happiness to stick by her friend's side.

I like to think about what the world might be like if all of us were like that. If every single one of us decided that we were willing to give up our own happiness to stand by and stay- really stay- right by a friend's side through the thick and the thin. The thinnest of thins and the thickest of thicks. I know I want to be that type of friend. I know that sometimes it can be hard to let go of all of those little excuses that run rampant in the back of my mind. You know, those one's that are secretly selfish but manage to almost convince you otherwise. But we can do it. Let's be those selfless friends.