John Denver wrote a song 20 years ago about wanting to get away from the big city to a place in the country - "somewhere to build me a faith, a farm and a family." The story of Ruth reminds me of that song, because it's about simple people living on the land, and about the strength they draw from faith and family.

The story starts by telling us it took place "in the days when the judges ruled." Those were days of dreadful battles between God's people and their enemies, of mighty warriors and great heroes like Samson and Gideon and Deborah. But while mighty giants and epic events were changing the biblical world, people were still going about their regular lives trying to raise their crops and make a living; marrying, raising their children, mourning their dead. And those are the people and…