Stop that!

Devotions with Trina have become one of my absolute favorite things lately. It's mind blowing. It's incredible to have such a relationship with someone. Who I can be honest with, and pray with. We started praying together when we turn off Marta (our biggest lamp, not to be confused with Lucille and Berkley and Monroe, the others) before we go to bed. And we decided to do it in the morning together too, since we have the same schedules, and typically wake up at the same times everyday.

Going through the book of Ruth with Trina has been completely different than I was expecting. I've read this little book so many times. It's about a woman, it's short. It's pretty easy to read. Good choice when I'm at a loss of what to read.

What astounds me about the Word of God, is it just keeps speaking. It's alive. Every time we sit down to do devotions, I feel like I'm coming back to a sponge I already twisted and crushed, collecting every last bit of moisture, of knowledge and wisdom that could have been in it. And then I find after only a little while that the sponge was only collecting from an ocean that goes on and on and on. I just can't get enough. It's stressful! I can't get enough. How fantastic!

Last night Trina and I watched the movie To Save A Life. It was actually really good. Second rate acting, but it wasn't too distracting. In fact, I thought they all did a pretty good job. But it got Train and I talking about a few things late into the night. And how perfect... our devotions this morning lined up perfectly with what we talked about last night. God is sneaky...

Anyway, some things I'v noticed abut the character of Ruth... she was boldly selfless. A simple statement, right? Well, how often do we see those two words acting together? The truth is, I don't think I've really seen too many examples of that. When someone is bold, it kind of seems like the attention is drawn to that person. And when someone is selfless, it seems like the common truth is that there is a quiet essence to someone who is selfless. These people don't seem to be under the spotlight of surroundings eyes.

I think Christians misinterpret things a lot. Selflessness doesn't always mean silence. Ruth was so outright about what she believed, and the things she dagnabit was gonna do.

Something that drew my attention today was how Ruth demonstrated her love for Naomi. The way she did it. John 15:13 talks about the greatest kind of love: laying down your life for someone. Philippians 2:4 says to think of others above yourself. We read through several different translations of these verses, and it was like cleaning out our ears to hear better and better after each repetition. Ruth gave up her life in Moab, where she would be welcomed and no doubt taken care of by her own people. She laid down her life, in exchange for her life with Naomi. She thought of Naomi better than herself. A translation we read today used the words, "giving others the advantage." That word was like a ball of sticky tack thrown in my face. I could only think about it. Giving others the advantage.

Going deeper into that, Ruth was not affirmed to do this. To deny herself the right to go back home to Moab instead of going to Judah with Naomi. Naomi kept telling her not to stay with her. When I think of what I would have done in that situation, I think of how much words mean to me. If someone who I respect kept telling me to do one thing, and I was attempting the opposite, I'd be in serious turmoil. My desire to please Naomi would have rocked me. And then consider how Ruth was not affirmed after she had made her decision. The scripture doesn't say that Naomi said, "Oh Ruth! Thank you so much for staying with me. It means so much to me." It basically says that Naomi gave up arguing. I can't imagine that being a very uplifting and reassuring reaction. Naomi basically expressing defeat.

What I'm saying, is I would have struggled to cross Naomi. To do what she told me not to do. And even if I believed I was doing the "right" thing, I would have likely second guessed myself at Naomi's pursuit of getting me to do something completely opposite.

If someone told me, "Stop that!" I would feel such pressure to abide. If I decided not to listen, hearing the, "Stop that! STOP THAT! STOP THAT!!" and not listening to it would bruise me, and be so difficult for me.

But Ruth made her decision, and denied herself the advantage to return to Moab, even though Naomi didn't see it as an advantage to have Ruth with her. Ruth carried through anyway. I think thats incredible. So much strength in character, that even when tried and bent to do something different, Ruth still saw clearly.

And so yet another thing I've felt challenged with... giving others the advantage, even when I'm not affirmed for it. Even when they don't realize I've chosen to receive the disadvantage at their expense. Being bold and outright about the way I'm going to be. Whew!

Ok... more studying. This week is gonna be a doozie.