Unrecognizable
So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in
Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed,
“Can this be Naomi?”
— Ruth 1:19 NIV
I love the story that unfolds in the book of Ruth. A love story for the romantic at heart. A nail-biter of a suspense. A history that reads like a fairy tale. But I think one of the most wonderful characteristics of this little book is the sense of God’s breath on every page. We read about these lives, these two women who have every reason to forsake each other and to forsake hope itself, and we can almost hear the voice of the Lord, whispering to each of them and saying, “Don’t give up!”
I think what strikes me the most about Naomi and Ruth is the similarity of their circumstances. In fact, it seems almost as though the two are thrown together and tied for life in a series of tragedies and in the struggle for survival in the aftermath. And which one of us hasn’t felt crushed in that place before? In fact, that may be the reason so many can identify with the two women in this story. We all face a season or two in life where hope seems to be part of a fairy tale world we barely remember.
So I guess the question is, do we remember?
When we find ourselves in the most difficult of circumstances, do we throw our hands up in despair or do we look for the pathway God is making through the mess?
When the day is filled with nothing but obstacles, do we hurdle through or huddle alone?
Naomi entered her home town completely unrecognizable, due to her suffering. Ruth’s optimistic walk made her suffering unrecognizable to those around her. Had we been acquaintances of the two women, we may have never guessed that their paths were one in the same. And one thing is for sure: Ruth’s reliance on the Lord and her new-found faith eventually prodded Naomi toward hope as well.
It’s amazing how God can use us to point others to Him – especially when our own eyes are focused on Him alone. It’s a miracle of His design that allows us to be a part of that. In this world, we will have trouble, but who am I making recognizable to a world waiting to see the face of Hope?
