Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. —Ruth 1:16b 

My friend Sarita and I have had a disagreement for the past several years. She claims I keep following her around, which I vehemently deny whenever we tell our story to mutual friends. Both English majors, we met in college on Orientation Day and became fast friends. Because she studied fulltime and I part time, she graduated a year ahead of me then went to do her master’s degree at East Carolina University in the United States. Some years later, I also did my master’s degree at East Carolina University. After she completed her master’s, she took up a teaching position at the University of Belize, in the Faculty of Education and Arts. After I finished my master’s, I also took up a teaching position at UB in the Faculty of Education and Arts. But I insist, I was not following her around. She and her husband Steven used to rent a house on Sinsonte Avenue in Belmopan, and when they built and moved into their new house, I moved into the house they had just vacated. And when I was ready to build my house, it so happened, unbeknownst to me, that the land someone was offering to sell me was on the street where they had built their house. And so, as I said, Sarita claims I keep following her around. She says that she is Shrek and I am Donkey.

At first, I was tempted to be offended by this comparison to the annoying cartoon animal, but then I remembered that donkeys are highly symbolic throughout the Bible. So, I gladly accept the Donkey moniker. But I continue to dispute Sarita’s teasing that I keep following her around. Nevertheless, I do live across the street from her, and in many ways, we've been more like sisters than friends. And, teasing aside, we both believe it was God who put us in each other’s lives.

Ruth also “followed around” Naomi, her mother-in-law. Both having lost their husbands, Naomi prepared to return to her homeland in Judah. Ruth, a Moabite who grew up worshipping idols, told Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16b). Naomi’s other daughter-in-law, Orpah, also newly widowed, chose to remain in Moab when Naomi urged both daughters-in-law to spare themselves the hard life they were sure to face in her homeland. But Ruth refused to leave Noami. Through hard work, Ruth and Naomi rebuilt their lives in Judah. But, ultimately, it was their selfless, extraordinary love for each other that restored their joy and brought them great prosperity.

There’s no greater blessing than having close friends who love God. And no greater joy than being, in return, that “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24b). Let's remember to give God thanks for the friends He has placed in our lives.

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