November 1 2021, Monday The Infamous became famous, Ruth

 The Infamous became Famous, Ruth

                         If you had ever visited another state or country, you will surely know the curious look, stare and jerks that the natives give the foreigners. Our language, dialect, behaviour and manners are often looked down and if we try to copy their customs we usually end up offending them. This is true in every nation and among every people. And it was no better among the Israelites. They considered the foreigners as dogs. Since they worshipped the One true God they looked down upon every other nation that worshipped idols and false gods. Everything about other nationalities was unclean and common. They were considered the special people, consecrated and separated unto God. 

                            Among such people entered a foreigner from a nation which was most despised by the Israelites, Ruth, the Moabite. She was the infamous widowed daughter in law of Naomi, the Israelite. I believe that if it had not been for the desolate situation Naomi was in( losing her husband and her two sons) the Israelites would have surely turned against her. But now seeing her in a state of misery they accepted her and her Moabite daughter in law.

                        In times past and now, when women feel that they are no longer obliged to their husband’s family after his death, Ruth chose to take up responsibility for her mother in law. For she looked beyond her obligation and saw a need that was greater than hers. She was young and healthy and she could have returned to her father’s house and might have made a fortune unto herself, for there was hope for her. But, she saw that there was no such hope for Naomi. So, she chose to help the one in greater need. She chose to go with her mother in law to her nation, people and God who were complete strangers to her. 

Ruth gleans the field

                         They came back to Israel broke and empty. Ruth was reduced to glean the fields. Gleaning is not harvesting, but gathering the remains that had fallen behind during harvesting. It was a job for the poorest. If she might have been well off in her father’s house, we will never know. Even if she had been, it would be a temporary one. But her choice of life, though difficult and humiliating for the moment had brought her eternal glory and joy. For, she found favour not only with the biased Israelites but with one of the richest men in the land, Boaz. And above all, she found favour with God.  When she chose to walk with Naomi, God chose to take her into His genealogy. Being an ancestor for the Saviour of mankind is worth every sacrifice she had ever made. From being a foreigner and widow she became to be the wife of a rich Israelite and ancestor of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Ruth meets Boaz

                           When she chose to look beyond herself, God chose to lift her up beyond her wildest dreams. I believe that when she decided to go with Namoi there surely must have been fears, doubts, and apprehension of hostility but the word of God says that she was-steadfastly minded, determined, made up her mind, strengthening herself to go with Namoi (Ruth 1:18).

                            She might not have imagined even in her wildest dreams what God had in store for her. The Israelites who despise Moabites confessed that this young Moabite woman was much better than seven sons for Naomi. Ruth made a hard choice, not many women would prefer to take what she took, she chose a path that was less travelled by( The Road not Taken, Robert Frost), but that road brought her directly into the will and purposes of God. 

Ruth married Boaz

                               Maybe you are at such a crossroad, the path you are willing to choose might not look blissful ahead, but if there is love and unselfishness in it, then you will surely find yourself in the will and plan and purpose of God. And with God there is always joy and happiness around the corner, keep walking ahead. 

                                                                ….. to be continued