By THE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on married couples to show genuine love and respect to their in-laws, stressing that such relationships are part of God’s design for marriage.
In his Open Heaven Daily Devotional Guide for Monday, 15th September 2025, titled “In-Laws Should Be Loved”, Pastor Adeboye highlighted the biblical example of Ruth, who showed loyalty and compassion to her mother-in-law Naomi after the death of her husband.
Quoting Ruth 1:16, he recalled how Ruth declared, “Intreat me not to leave thee… for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
According to him, Ruth’s selflessness and sacrifice not only secured her a place in a new home but also ensured her name was recorded in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
“Ruth was a wise woman,” Pastor Adeboye said. “Her love for Naomi was so great that when her husband died, she abandoned her hometown to follow her mother-in-law to a place she had never been. In return, God rewarded her selflessness by giving her another home.”
The respected cleric noted that love towards in-laws should not be restricted to wives alone, urging husbands to also honour their wives’ families. He referenced Matthew 8:14-15, where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, pointing out that she immediately served the household after her healing.
Pastor Adeboye further shared a personal testimony, saying: “When I was leaving for my postgraduate studies, I handed my mother over to my wife, knowing that she would take good care of her. My wife is a helpmeet indeed, and a true helpmeet is a great blessing, not just to her husband but her in-laws as well.”
He warned against the growing attitude among some couples who neglect or disrespect their in-laws, stressing that marriage is not just about the husband and wife but about extending the love of Christ to both families.
“If you’re married, God put you in your spouse’s family because He wants you to extend His love to them. Whether they reciprocate or not, your responsibility is to love them,” he admonished.
Pastor Adeboye concluded by urging Christians to ask God for wisdom in handling family relationships, noting that showing love to in-laws could be a means of drawing them to Christ.
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