EMPTY OR FULL? Ruth 1:19-22 Ruth made one of the most profound confessions of faith in all of Scripture. This young Gentile woman was dedicated to doing God's will. It makes no difference to God where someone is from, their creed, or culture. The Bible clearly states that "He that feareth Him (God) and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him." God was with Ruth, the outsider, when she was gleaning in the fields, and with Esther, a young Jewish woman, in the city. He guides the gleaner and influences the king on the throne.
To ordinary people, faithfulness is usually shown through the expression of their feelings. As we become more advanced, we tend to hide our “real self” from others. Children are generally quite transparent, which is what the Lord Jesus referred to when He said adults must become like little children to enter the kingdom of God. Naturally, as we grow older, we become more like people behind a closed door rather than an open window. We fear that others see what we are truly like inside.
Wherever you are, God is working for His people. Faith means obeying God despite the consequences, not ignoring the evidence. Ruth exemplifies an inspiring, active faith. Her faith wasn't about testing the waters and hoping the river would stop flowing or trying to make bad water drinkable by adding a tree. Instead, her faith was demonstrated in her dedication to serving God by serving Naomi and staying with her until death and burial.
Some “cool, calm, and collected” people hide behind cold faces and don’t show much happiness or sadness. To them, it seems like they believe being open would make them too vulnerable or cause them to lose some kind of status that might be seen as a weakness. Others wear fake smiles all the time to hide their true feelings, even when they are crying inside. Keeping up a façade all the time is hard, and even more serious is that someone who keeps themselves from real friendships misses out on meaningful connection. Openness can be meaningful and a real support when we communicate honestly with others, especially with God in prayer.
It's rare today to see the genuine devotion Ruth openly showed to Naomi. Instead of dedicating ourselves to others, the common focus now is on "self-awareness, self-esteem, self-fulfillment, self-confidence and pleasing myself." Few consider, except in emergencies, that it's normal Christian living for us to pay a price so others can benefit at our expense. True unity doesn't happen when we prioritize our own good and self-interests over what can bless others.
We all make mistakes when we believe that certain actions will benefit us. Due to unbelief in God's promises during difficult times, the tendency is to run away from problems instead of facing and managing them in the best way we can. In faith, we understand that God can "do above all that which we ask or think." Like in Ruth's day, many of God’s people today live in unbelief and disobedience, missing out on His blessings. We are living in a harvest season, even though it may seem that little fruit is being gathered from the great harvest field. Famine is a time of discipline when our faith is tested and strengthened. Part of the problem is that we think we deserve everything we get because "we earned it."
God desires self-sacrifice from His people, and for it to be genuine, we must dedicate ourselves to serving others wholeheartedly. Unbelief caused Elimelech to walk by sight instead of faith, leading him to leave the house of bread during harvest time. By making that choice, he focused on the physical realm rather than the spiritual one, and as a result, he did not honor the Lord. We cannot truly escape our problems because the root cause is our lack of faith in God and disobedience to Him. The consequences can last a long time and may even be deadly.
Naomi was open and honest when she returned to her people in Bethlehem. The entire town was moved by her return, and they came out to meet her, which seemed to embarrass her. She had left with a husband and two sons and came back with a young, widowed woman from a different nation and faith. Perhaps Ruth's honesty—her open expression of her thoughts, decisions, and faith—encouraged Naomi to also reveal her true feelings of remorse, failure, and bitterness. Sadly, her hopes had not been fulfilled.
Another common mistake is deception, where we try to hide our faults. We ask God to bless our work, family, and the things we believe we deserve, but I have to ask myself, "Am I a blessable person?" Can God trust me? I ask for souls to be saved, but am I a shepherd who can be trusted with the "lambs"? When He gives me more money than I need, am I someone He knows will use these blessings properly?
Naomi finally accepted that her only hope was to return to where God wanted her to be. Orpah had given up, so she went back to the place she was before God brought her to someone who could be a blessing. Ruth was ready to stand up against the pressures she faced and openly declared her faith. Naomi reached a point in her life where she knew it was right to go back to Bethlehem. The path she chose led her to return to Bethlehem. She knew it was time to turn her back on Moab, even though it took time to figure out her plan. Her decision, in turn, influenced Ruth and her choice to go with her mother-in-law.
Deception can weaken our understanding of ourselves and often gives us excuses for our mistakes. While we can’t control all the events in life, we can control how we respond to them. Nine-tenths of our unhappiness comes from selfishness. Blaming God for the trials and difficulties we face is a mistake; when we let bitterness take root in our lives, we do serious damage to ourselves, and as the saying goes, "the root of bitterness defiles many."
If we ever leave the “place” we believe is right because of problems in favor of a place that better fits our lifestyle or ambitions, we must remember that our actions can affect others who live or die there. Conversely, when we decide to return to the place we left, others may wonder why we made that choice, and some may come back with us. The place where Naomi and her husband chose to stay was not where the Lord was with His people. They had left a prosperous place, despite a temporary problem, and as a result, she lost her family. From Ruth, we learn the importance of personal integrity through her dedication to Naomi, and from Naomi, we see the importance of our personal testimony, even if we feel like failures.
Naomi blamed God for what went wrong, along with her feelings of disappointment and grief. She probably expected God to fulfill her desires instead of following His plan. She wanted God to bless her family in the way she imagined. However, God, in His grace, orchestrated a remarkable turn of events that led a remarkable young woman to express her faith through a powerful declaration. This, in turn, encouraged Ruth, who loved her mother-in-law Naomi, to go to a different country and to a different people she chose to love. All she knew about God's people came through Naomi. By walking in faith, she encountered the harvesters (young men), gleaners (poor people), and Boaz, a wealthy kinsman. The entire village came out to welcome Naomi and Ruth.
These people belonged to the Lord, and they accepted her despite differences in nationality and background. She chose to live by faith—going to a place she had never been, living with people she did not know, trusting God to guide her life, and taking small and large steps as they came. Ruth's dedication to Naomi contrasts with Orpah's fading into the distance, but Ruth's clear commitment to Naomi stands out. Orpah was not condemned for leaving; she simply acted in line with what was normal and acceptable in her society.
Ruth did something extraordinary by resisting the pressure to conform to what everyone else expected, much as peer pressure is exerted today. Her stand and statement serve as an example to us not to allow ourselves to be pushed toward the second- or third-best, no matter who applies that pressure. Despite Naomi's urging, Ruth remained steadfast, and her clear commitment left no room for misunderstanding her intentions. Neither social pressure nor Naomi's nearly command-like pressure swayed Ruth from her devotion to Naomi and God. Ruth's firm stance was demonstrated through her decisive declaration.
Naomi didn't need clarification to understand her meaning. She shared her plans with Naomi and wasn't about to accept Naomi's usual plans for her. Ruth burned all her bridges with a single statement that committed her to Naomi not only until she started a new life but even to death and burial. She made that promise and followed through. Her simple, direct words ended all crying and mourning. The silence that followed confirmed the strength of her commitment.
An open and honest relationship with God is essential for us to express ourselves to Him, knowing that He cares for us. When we articulate our cares and burdens, we are actually sharing with the Lord what has been weighing on us. Transparency can also be demonstrated in words to trusted friends, which helps foster meaningful relationships with fellow believers in Christ. Faithfulness enables us to share our feelings, and the relief that follows makes disappointments easier to bear.
The principles of living by faith remain unchanged, and when we practice them ourselves, we will discover that our gracious Father is there to guide, strengthen, and fellowship with us as we walk in the light with Him. We should never let societal pressure sway our commitment to God. Openness is valuable when communicating with others if it is balanced with thoughtfulness and spoken with gracious words. True devotion has a way of expressing our intentions clearly, so they are neither misunderstood nor vague. Christians can't be everything to everyone in every situation. Compromising to please others is unacceptable if it is based on human opinion. Our work, family ties, and ambitions are not wrong, as long as they do not detract from our devotion to the Lord, to Him, and to His people. The energy we spend is justified when it is used in fellowship with God and His revealed will.
Total commitment eliminates all objections, arguments, and subtle innuendos when it is genuine and sincere. When that is the case, it is beyond dispute, and any challenges to the commitment are ineffective. Whether we realize it or not, we leave “heartprints” when our words are clear, meaningful, and appropriate to the situation. Just as we leave fingerprints wherever we go, someone who has committed themselves to another and to being faithful leaves an indelible mark that cannot be erased. Having our commitment to God etched on our hearts is far more valuable than having ink on our skin.
Often in life, we experience moments of mourning for what has gone wrong. We feel guilty about the events, and the mistakes have left consequences beyond our control. We wonder if the sun will ever shine again or if things will remain the same. The years pass so slowly— it feels like there’s no end in sight. We’ve tried many ways to fix it, but nothing seems to work. Finally, we pause and ask ourselves, “Why not go back to the beginning and see if the Lord will teach us or if, in some way, we are still sinning?”
So, we leave where we’ve been for years and start on the road back. To our surprise, others have decided to come along—one for sentimental reasons and the other with deep conviction. Watching you face trouble, she has learned that faith involves more than just the soul’s salvation. Simple words of faith carry meaning that comes from deep within her heart. In the long journey of life, this first stage is only the beginning. Words filled with faith testify that one has learned to trust God completely. We need to consider that people learn this from our testimony.
Not all of life’s lessons are easy; we learn more during difficult times. In our testing moments, others observe whether we truly trust the Lord. When we must walk through deep valleys and face bitter lessons, those watching decide if living by faith in the Lord is worth it. We may never truly enjoy the testing, the losses, the pain, and the hurt, but our loving Father knows that light shines brighter in the dark. He guides us step by step and gradually leads us back to where we started. We find many others around us going through the same struggles.
Most people hesitate to show their true feelings during important moments. While they might cheer loudly and openly at a sporting event when everyone else is doing the same, they tend to hide their emotions when it comes to genuine honesty and vulnerability. The natural instinct is to build defenses so high that others can't see what’s truly bothering us inside. When unexpected things happen or outcomes differ from our expectations, we often question why or wonder if we did something wrong.
Often, during such times, the outward person looks very different from what we feel inside. The tendency is to hide who we are and how we feel about the situation. We become like a door that closes people and events out instead of a window that lets light in and helps us understand better. It isn't our normal choice to reveal our true, sincere emotions to others but to keep them hidden. When Naomi returned from Moab, she might have looked older, worn, and gray with new wrinkles on her face, but she didn't put on a stone face like some do and pretend everything was okay when she was really angry inside.
A blank face without expression can hide bitterness and anger; a happy face can conceal a crying heart. "Everything is just fine and dandy" isn't always a sincere statement but a way of deflecting the truth about what is really happening to us. There is also the "Christian" face that we see when God's people come together, which is meant to display our contentment and joy in the things of God. "Praise the Lord, Hallelujah," and other words may be used to hide doubts and confusion that we believe should never enter a Christian's mind.
Living and maintaining a false front with bluff and bluster is difficult for very long. Someone who constantly tries to hide a problem in life may find that the emotional stress they experience affects their physical health and well-being. The body, soul, and spirit are all impacted by our emotions. Naomi was wise enough to "let it all hang out"—doubts, anger, bitterness—all of it was out in the open because she was transparent enough to say what she truly meant.
No doubt, her return to Bethlehem after being away for ten years sparked excitement in the small town. They knew her as Naomi, meaning "pleasant, lovely," but now she was bitter because of all she had lost. It seems like she was disappointed in God as well as in how her life had turned out. All she had hoped for—plenty during the famine, a loving husband to care for her, sons who would bring grandchildren for her guidance—things people want today and what she wanted—completely eluded her. The reality was a stark disappointment compared to her expectations. She may have thought God would end the famine quickly so they could return home sooner rather than later. Her hopes for a joyful family life left her with nothing at all for the present or the future. She was not only disappointed with God but may not have recognized the precious gift she had in her life—Ruth.
Few people would ever criticize God, though inwardly, we might blame Him for our circumstances. It's common for us to hypocritically blame ourselves when talking to others, even if we don't truly mean it. It just looks good to those we want to impress with our supposed honesty. God does not ignore our faults and failures; He clearly expresses how He feels about them honestly and bluntly. The scriptures encourage honesty and specificity so that we can share our feelings, thoughts, and intentions, which God already knows.
Naomi openly expressed her disappointment and desired an honest, open relationship with God. That’s a high compliment to God, who knows our hearts anyway. Naomi shared the struggles she faced, and it didn't turn people away. She was not a perfect representative of God's goodness and even seemed to blame Him for what was taken from her. That kind of frankness surprises us and likely frightened the people of Bethlehem, who were very glad to have her back. It’s interesting to see that bluntness is common in the scripture accounts of God's people and their interactions with Him. God is quite direct Himself when He speaks to us. While that doesn't give us the right to be irreverent or disrespectful, honesty and openness with God are appropriate.
Openness demonstrates our trust in God and His grace despite our failures. It can serve as a way to praise God, whom we trust completely regardless of what happens. Openness in marriage, friendships, and family strengthens our relationships. God our Father already knows everything, so by removing any masks we wear, we show Him our trust during both good and bad times. Sharing our experiences with others helps lighten our burdens and allows us, as well as them, to understand our Lord's ways for our ultimate blessing. Being open with God is an act of faithfulness that shows our trust in His goodness and grace.
We rarely openly express what we truly mean when it comes to matters of the heart. We want others to see that things aren’t as bad as they first seem. As a result, we tend to say what we believe is best rather than what is true, and soon, we become burdened with deep unrest as the tensions of deception grow. Our gracious God is patient with us and bluntly shows us what is wrong. His goal is for us to trust fully in Him, who is so strong in His support. God's purpose isn't always clear when we experience loss, but the faithful know that our Father is near, even though sin has a price that must be paid.
It's wise for a person to be open and honest about their questions. Trying to hide behind a mask only leads to bitterness, disappointment, and conflict. When nothing is concealed behind a false front, only the truth remains. We can't bluff; instead, we should be blunt about what truly matters. Failures and mistakes will happen—things we wish hadn't. By openly confessing what is true, we show that our trust is in God. Some matters must be discussed with God openly. He is not our enemy but our caring Father. Trusting Him during times of pain and potential anger proves our faith in moments of need.
Praying to God during times of darkness in the soul caused by sorrow or misfortune is how we handle difficult issues and our feelings about them. Sharing our experiences with God during tough times with a trusted person can help both us and them. If we intentionally remain honest and open with our Heavenly Father in prayer, our transparency shows faithfulness to Him. He is honest and open with us, and we can expect the same from Him. This honesty is beneficial, and it begins healing and recovery.