Engagelife’s Weblog

This morning our church hosted the Children of the World International Childrens Choir.  I expected to be inspired by them and by the opportunity to worship with other people of the world.  It was moving, but it was also heart wrentching.  Of course, I know that people in Africa and other countries are dying of aids and facing other tragic things.  I have NEVER really let that sink into my heart and emotions.  Today I was troubled by what the people of Africa are living with everyday, death, desperation, hopelessness. 

I was blown away be the appalling level of my selfishness and whining.  I have so much, but can only see what I wish I had or need.  I was disgusted at myself, but God reminded me that I did not ask to be born in the USA.   God placed me here.  Why here?  Why not Africa?  I don’t know the reason he had for putting me here, but I do know that he has given me resources to help those who need help.  Instead of bashing myself for my lack of gratitude and awareness of my great blessings I am thanking God for the opportunity to reflect his redemptive nature and share my blessings with people who desperately need to see his hand.

I’m am moved beyond belief and looking for God’s next step to show his love to the people he created.

This morning I was working on a Bible study that I’m co-leading at church.  We are studying a book by Carolyn Custis James called The Gospel of Ruth-Loving God Enough to Break the Rules.  I have only just started the study, but I’m already reeling.  Talk about someone who suffered. Naomi suffered greatly, to say the least.  She had two daughters-in-law who make very different choices for different reasons.  My perception of Naomi, Ruth and Orpah have always been that Naomi was bitter towards God, Ruth was extremely loyal, and Orpah abandoned Naomi when given the chance. 

I believe every woman can all find herself in this story.  As I’ve been reading this book Ms. James has opened my eyes to a few things about each of these women that has changed my perspective or brought me closer to their story of pain and choice. 

Naomi lost her husband and two sons, and now she’s mad at God.  Right?  Yes, but there’s more to this story.  As I read the book I was struck by a few things.  When Naomi lost her husband and sons she lost a whole lot more than what is obvious.  She lost all the things that define her as a woman and that give her security.   With her husband gone she lost the love of her life.  She lost her protector and provider.  She lost her lover and friend.  She lost a deep intimacy.  When she lost her sons she lost her status and life work.  In those days a woman was looked at as prosperous when she was able to bare children.  Her sons were two strands that would continue her husband’s family and name on into the future.   They were the ones who were to care for her until she died.  Her future was very much in jeapardy.  Her children were her life work, and she had nothing to show for her labor.  She had no social status with no husband or children.  She was also a foreigner in Moab, so she is almost the lowest of lowest socially.  Marrying again was not an option.  Her physical life was jeapardized as well because there were those who preyed on widowers.  This suffering on for many, many years with no real relief.  There was also a famine in the land of Moab, so she was watching her family suffer in ways we cannot understand.  To say the least her life was unbarable.  She had no respect, no financial security, no emotional security, no future stability, no hope.  She truly had everything that a woman was created to need and desire TAKEN away from her.

When Naomi was returning to Bethlehem, her families land, with Orpah and Ruth she urged them to return to their homeland, the land of their family.  They would have a chance to remarry.  They could be with their families and worship the gods they grew up worshipping.  They would have a chance for security and a future.  Both Orpah and Ruth had to make a decision, staying with Naomi and give up any positive future or return home and have a chance for a husband and a life.

Orpah chose to return home.  I always thought she was less noble for leaving Naomi, but Ms. James showed me that going home was the smart choice.  Going back to Moab made more sense.  After all, who would have wanted to be single and childless in a foreign land when they could return home, the home of their past.  Can you really blame her?  She made the wise choice in human eyes. 

Ruth on the otherhand chose to stay with Naomi.  She chose to be single and childless in a foreign land.  Why would she do this?  What sense does that make?  She was young and had her whole life ahead of her.  Her parents would have told her to come home.  I would have told her to go home too.  What would compel Ruth to chose to GIVE AWAY everything she was created to need and desire.  Why?  There was something that Ruth wanted more than physical and emotional security.  She wanted the God of Naomi and her people.   She saw God through the life of her mother and father-in-law as well as her husband.  She didn’t want other gods.  She wanted the One True God.  Even after she saw what being God’s follower cost Naomi, she still wanted Him.  Is your jaw on the floor too?

Carolyn James stated in her book that she often heard people who read her book say “I want to be like Ruth.”   Do they?  Do I?  Do you?  Do we really want to throw all our comfort and security out the proverbial window.  Are we really willing to choose suffering in order to know God more deeply and trust Him more completely?