And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. – Ruth 3:11, King James Version (KJV)

It’s easy to get discouraged when the culture around you is saturated with sin. When you see depravity triumphing at every level of society, you cannot help but wonder, “What can I do? How do I battle the wickedness?” Although the answers to these questions can take many forms – depending on who we are, depending on what God shows us He wants us to do – one answer will apply to us all: live obediently and virtuously before God and man.

I was a little bit behind in my Bible reading, so I played “catch-up” by reading Judges 19-21 and then the entire book of Ruth in one sitting. The last three chapters of Judges are filled with depravity, and it doesn’t take long to become sickened by what happens when everyone does that which is right is his/her own eyes. When I transitioned to Ruth, however, I was moved by the stark contrast of tone. Whereas in Judges 19-21 we see immorality, murder, betrayal, and the destructive fallout from people behaving badly, in Ruth we see loyalty, dedication, virtue and the rewards that come from being obedient to God and from having a servant’s heart towards other people. A stranger in Israel, Ruth expected to be treated poorly. Instead, the people of Israel treated her with great courtesy. Why? Because even though Ruth came to Israel during the depraved time of the judges, people recognized her virtuous character, and they treated her respectfully in honor of her dedication to her mother-in-law and to God.

Will people always treat us respectfully if we lead a virtuous life? No. As God described in 1 Peter 2:12, some people may very well treat us evilly for doing that which God calls good. Nonetheless, we ought to behave rightly, for though people might revile us temporarily for acting rightly, eventually we will bring honor to God by having done so. Just remember in the midst of it all, we have one Person to please and nothing to prove, and God will honor those – like Ruth – who honor Him.