There’s just something about Ruth’s sweet words in the first chapter of her book that I believe grab all of our attention…”Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” Ruth’s focus had nothing to do with herself, it had everything to do with God and others. *Did you catch the word focus? Every person chooses what focus they will have.* Her attitude said, “It doesn’t matter what I’ve faced, the heartbreak in my own life, I will chose to live for God and others.”
Naomi, not quite so. She was so bitter that she insisted on changing her name to Mara. I imagine she was the type of woman that you could just tell by looking at her that she wasn’t happy or even joyful. Her public decision to change her name almost says, “Just in case you missed it on my face, I want it to be perfectly clear that I’m upset and bitter.” Wow! What a statement!!!
Ruth was “steadfastly minded” to go with Naomi. Ruth, just like Naomi and Orpah, had faced her own heartbreak and tragic chapter in her story. She chose to stay in the story God had for her without getting bitter, angry, or even upset.
Naomi states clearly that she “came home empty” even when she had Ruth who came home with her. Unfortunately, she was so bitter and focused on what God had taken away that she couldn’t get over it, and she missed the blessings God had already given her.
My million dollar question right now is, “How do I help someone become grateful for something they don’t even know they have?” So often we choose to dwell on what we don’t have yet or what’s been taken away from us that we don’t see the true blessings God puts in our lives. We “come home empty” when we focus on what has been taken or what is not, instead of focusing on what’s been freely given us already.
Today, would have been Daniel’s 28th birthday. It was a good day for me when I realized and acknowledged that God’s perfect plan for Daniel’s story was for it to be continued in heaven starting May 5th, 2015. God’s story did not have one more hour or moment or day planned for Daniel to live on earth. God’s story was to take Daniel to heaven. I can rejoice when I look at every moment I got to have with Daniel, or I can still mourn over what “is not”; what God has chosen to do differently.
Naomi, not quite so. She was so bitter that she insisted on changing her name to Mara. I imagine she was the type of woman that you could just tell by looking at her that she wasn’t happy or even joyful. Her public decision to change her name almost says, “Just in case you missed it on my face, I want it to be perfectly clear that I’m upset and bitter.” Wow! What a statement!!!
Ruth was “steadfastly minded” to go with Naomi. Ruth, just like Naomi and Orpah, had faced her own heartbreak and tragic chapter in her story. She chose to stay in the story God had for her without getting bitter, angry, or even upset.
Naomi states clearly that she “came home empty” even when she had Ruth who came home with her. Unfortunately, she was so bitter and focused on what God had taken away that she couldn’t get over it, and she missed the blessings God had already given her.
My million dollar question right now is, “How do I help someone become grateful for something they don’t even know they have?” So often we choose to dwell on what we don’t have yet or what’s been taken away from us that we don’t see the true blessings God puts in our lives. We “come home empty” when we focus on what has been taken or what is not, instead of focusing on what’s been freely given us already.
Today, would have been Daniel’s 28th birthday. It was a good day for me when I realized and acknowledged that God’s perfect plan for Daniel’s story was for it to be continued in heaven starting May 5th, 2015. God’s story did not have one more hour or moment or day planned for Daniel to live on earth. God’s story was to take Daniel to heaven. I can rejoice when I look at every moment I got to have with Daniel, or I can still mourn over what “is not”; what God has chosen to do differently.
Naomi clearly missed what God had given her already because she chose to focus on what had already been taken. If you look in verses 20-21, Naomi uses the word “me” 6 times. She’s so focused on herself that she doesn’t even see others. Ruth, on the other hand, only uses the word me "one" time. I believe this reveals a completely contented heart in Ruth. She was happy serving God and others.
Psalm 68:19 says that God daily “loaded us with benefits”. Many times, we are so busy looking at the empty side of the cup that we miss his blessings. Today I’ll choose to be “steadfastly minded” as Ruth was to go where God wants me to go and stay where He asks me to stay, putting God and others first. I trust that living for Him and others is the richest, happiest life that this girl could ever choose.
Psalm 68:19 says that God daily “loaded us with benefits”. Many times, we are so busy looking at the empty side of the cup that we miss his blessings. Today I’ll choose to be “steadfastly minded” as Ruth was to go where God wants me to go and stay where He asks me to stay, putting God and others first. I trust that living for Him and others is the richest, happiest life that this girl could ever choose.
