It was a little blurb about the type of love lived out by Ruth. I have always loved this story. I do not remember such emphasis being expressed about Naomi in the past when I have read it or listened to the story. I'm sure this part of it was there, but sometimes we don't grasp certain principles until we experience them or have a personal connection.
In this explanation they describe her mother-in-law Naomi as a hard-to-love woman. Naomi went through some major tragedies, losing her husband and two sons. Her attitudes changed from her circumstances.
Ruth 1:19b they said, Is this Naomi?
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty:
Naomi means pleasant
Mara means bitter
Pleasant - pleasing, agreeable, grateful to the mind or to the senses, cheerful, enlivening; as pleasant society or company, merry, lively, humorous, sportive, as a pleasant companion.
Bitter - sharp, cruel, severe, reproachful, sarcastic, piercing, painful, that makes smart, afflicted, distressed, hurtful, very sinful, mournful, distressing, grudge, hatred, keen sorrow, painful affliction
Ruth chose to return to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law. She had also been through tragedies losing her husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law. She returned with this woman who was hurting, dried-up and so full of bitterness. Her mother-in-law was feeling empty. Yet Ruth would wake early in the morning and go work in the fields all day gathering grain, then beating it to a usable state. It was not easy work, but she rose and went to gather what they needed. She sacrificed herself and allowed God to provide for them through her.
You will all have someone like this in your life at one time or another. Someone that is difficult to love. They may be angry or bitter about circumstances that they have faced. They may be sarcastic, piercing with their words and actions. They are difficult to love and sometimes so unaccepting of what is offered.
God must be your source of love for these people and self sacrifice will be required.
Becca mentioned a young girl she has encountered recently that seems to be a Mara. She appears stone cold and unaccepting of the love that has been extended to her. This has been going on for a few weeks. This week, she seemed to crack open her door a little bit to welcome some of the love offered. It's hard to know what others are going through, continue to pray and to love, you never know the influence and impact you can have on that next "Mara" that you encounter.
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