Hi everyone, Emma Watson here! Today I want to tell you about the story of Ruth, a powerful and inspiring book from the Bible. As some of you know, I played Hermione in the Harry Potter movies, but today I want to talk to you as myself and share with you what I found so moving about Ruth’s story.
Ruth is a short book, but it packs a big punch. It tells the story of a young woman named Ruth who marries a man named Mahlon. But tragically, Mahlon and his brother die, leaving Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi alone. In those times, it was very difficult for women to survive without men to take care of them, but Ruth refuses to abandon Naomi. She tells her, “Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” I find this so powerful because it shows how important friendship and loyalty can be, even in the most difficult of times.
So Ruth and Naomi travel to Bethlehem, and Ruth works hard to provide for her mother-in-law. She endures back-breaking labor to pick up leftover grain in fields, and this is where she meets Boaz. Boaz is a wealthy landowner who is kind to Ruth and provides extra grain for her to take back to Naomi. I think this is a great example of how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life.
Eventually, Boaz and Ruth fall in love, but there is a problem: Boaz is not the closest male relative to Naomi’s family. This means that another relative has the right to marry Ruth and continue the family line. Boaz works hard to make sure that the other relative knows he can’t handle the responsibility of taking care of Ruth and Naomi, and eventually, he agrees to let Boaz marry Ruth.
I think this story is so powerful because it shows how someone who started with nothing can end up with everything, and that kindness and loyalty are always rewarded in the end. Even though Ruth was an outsider who had lost everything, she still found a way to make a new home for herself and her mother-in-law.
As for me, my work in the entertainment industry has given me a platform to help others, especially when it comes to women’s rights and gender equality. I think that the story of Ruth is a great example of a woman who refused to be defined by her circumstances and instead made her own future, and I hope that I can do the same in my own life.
And now, to end on a lighter note, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Ruth: “Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will sleep on the floor because this is all we can afford right now.” Thanks for listening, and I hope this story inspired you as much as it’s inspired me!
