One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Ruth. This little four-chapter book is packed full of emotions. We get to see all those emotions played out as we journey through a difficult stretch of life with the main characters. Please take time to read the book of Ruth.
     I know that the book is focused on its namesake, but Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi fascinates me. Naomi loses her husband in this foreign land. She then experiences the loss of both of her sons. Her grief is so strong that she starts to make some unwise choices.

• She pushes away the people that love her. Both her daughters-in-law offer to go back to her homeland with her but she turns down their offer.
• She encourages Ruth and Orpah to return to their families and their gods. Why if she believed in the one true God did she not encourage them to believe in her God? Orpah did just what Naomi asked. Do you ever wonder what happened to her?
• She had a pity party. At first, we make think that she is entitled after losing her husband and her sons, but she felt that her pain was worse than anyone else’s pain. She even said, “It is more bitter for me than for you.” (Ruth 1:13)
• She blamed God and became bitter. The rest of verse 13 says, “The Lord’s hand has turned against me.” When she reached her homeland of Judea, she was so bitter that she was almost unrecognizable to her friends. She asked that they call her Mara, which means bitter.

We’ve looked at what Naomi did wrong. Let’s see what she did right.

• Even though she blamed God for her pain, she never stopped believing that he was powerful and mighty.
• She appreciated the kindness of others. She learned to appreciate Ruth and how she was willing to take care of her. She also appreciated the kindness of Boaz for being generous to Ruth while she was gleaning.
• She began focusing on someone other than herself. She wanted to do what she could to help Ruth find a husband.
• She remembered she had a kinsman redeemer. A kinsman redeemer is someone who has paid the price to redeem her back into the family line.
• She praised God and allowed joy back in her life as she cared for her grandson. Her name was Naomi, not Mara.

     Death is not the only thing that causes grief. We also grieve over other losses such as marriages, jobs, opportunities, and dreams. Whatever our losses we need to let go of the bitterness, focus on something other than our own pain and let joy back into our lives. I hope we can learn from Naomi that God is faithful to never leave us and that he sent Jesus as our kinsman redeemer.

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1) (NIV)