“Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go,  and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people,  and your God my God.’” Ruth 1:16

Recurrent Thought

Great achievers in life are ordinary people who are willing to exceed the expected in society 

An Ambitious life does not mean a life without challenges. In fact, to be ambitious is to be a person who surmounts challenges; it is one expected to scale the mountains, to swim through rivers at flood stage and to walk through the jungle full of Lions. Ambition is trusting the Lord that he will walk with us through the fire. 

Back Ground to Ruth

This book was written during the time so the Judges. It narrates that Elimeleck and his family left Beth Bethlehem of Judah and went to the country of Moab of Famine. Elimelech, and his two married sons Mahlon and Chillion died while in Moab. And that meant only Ladies remained: Naomi, and Ruth and Orpah, two Daughter-in-Laws. Naomi later decided to go back home. At first both her daughter-in-laws wanted to go with her, but later Orpah declined.

The story is about ordinary people facing ordinary things & events. It also shows how God weaves His Story in our lives thus it is essential to discern the hand of God who cares, sustains, and provides.  The main story, is how Ruth connects with Boaz, a Kinsman Redeemer, who she later marries and connects to the lineage of Jesus. There are a lot of interesting details of the book some of these include the names of the main Character which are very revealing. Elimelech – God is King; Naomi–Pleasant, lovely, delightful; Mara – bitter; Ruth–friendship; Orpah–firmness; Obed – servant 

Ruth is a book that shows ordinary people who attract Grace by their determination. Achievers are ordinary people who are willing to exceed what is expected of them, and by this lifestyle, they achieve what is unexpected. They are so ambitious to the end that they break down the stereotypes staked against them. I hope you still remember the description of the Anatomy of Ambition (Text Box).

Remember an Anatomy of Ambition

Let us remind ourselves of the Anatomy of Ambition, the process of Understanding the structure and dynamics of the inner working of Ambition. 

1. Ambition is a directional mindset with unwavering motivation to succeed undergirding the pursuit of targets such as goals, dreams or assignment. 

2. Ambition is a strong desire and Will Power to reach one’s goals. Ambition is a mindset that applies all necessary virtues of achievement such as perseverance, determination, patience, dedication etc.  

3. Passion is more the emotional aspect of one who achieves but ambition is one that persuades You to develop strategies and provides staying power to keep You on the Journey.

4. The Capacities of performance such as Giftedness, Talents, Skills, experiences cannot produce much without Ambition. Capacity without ambition, produces a little. 

5. Ambition is not an inborn capability. It is learned and cultivated just as same as any other positive trait.

Here are four Elements of seeing greatness in regular circumstances

1. Ambition is Better seen in the Presence of Challenges. 
   • Stars are better seen in the dark. Leadership is better described, defined and seen in the face of chaos and challenges. 
   • Maturity is shown in how you interpret the Challenges of Life. 
   • Death is not the cessation of reality of life; tragedy does not delete the reality of Life that must continue;
   • Ordinarily, we are expected to yield when we come to a dead end, to the wall in the road, but not the ambitious. 
   • Ambition is a lifestyle that exceeds  the expectation and breaks the minimum limitations
   • When you are expected to stop, ambition, re-engages 
2. Ambition is shown through Your Determination to Follow a Cause
   • Ordinarily, the Cause should be to Please God (2 Cor. 5:9).
   • A Cause is expected to be your assignment God has given as You pursue Your Destiny
   • To Ruth the cause was to serve Naomi, the mother in Law. Ruth had a deep conviction that she was to serve Naomi. 
   • There are many times when our success is connected to our loyalty to a person who represents a Cause. Ruth was Loyal to Naomi, through whom her destiny was linked.
   • Strong convictions precede great actions. Notice that determination is observable (1:18)
   • Orpah also followed, but her determination wanes off. 
   • It was ordinary and acceptable for both to return to their homes but the ambition in Ruth went beyond the expected.
   • Ambition is going beyond what is expected, beating the minimum standards
   • Ambitions implies that you are hungrier than normal for success. 
3. Ambition is a Manifestation of Faith (Heb. 11:1) 
   • We are not told at this stage whether her faith in God is solid. But in 1:17-“May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely.”  “Ruth, a non-Israelite, swears her commitment to Naomi in the name of Israel’s God. She uses the term Yahweh; Could it be she is already a believer?. 
   • There is no promise of a Son to marry her but she still follows.
   • She is willing to drop everything and venture into the unknown. Heb 11:1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 
4. Ambition is Usually sacrificial 
   • To be ambitious is to segregate between various significant ideals
   • Ruth had a choice to remain within her cultural setting, which was more comfortable, but she chose to follow the Person to whom she had decided to serve.
   • She sacrificed the known for the unknown; She Sacrificed the comfortable place to one shed did not know
   • Sacrifice implies giving up or exchanging what is good for something of higher value: She chose service and loyalty to Naomi
   • Ambitious people sacrifice different good things in order to pursue their Causes

Conclusion

Ambition is really to exceed the expected. What limitations are you breaking to go to greater levels