Day 122: Compounding

Acts 25; Ruth 1-2; Psalm 47

Naomi is really depressed; she feels hopeless, lost, rejected, abandoned, empty.  When I read this story, I always try to compare myself to Ruth, but as I think about this woman, Naomi, I cannot help but see myself at times.  When life gets tough, I do this thing Austin has termed, "compounding." I may have had a rough day at work, but when I get home, instead of just relaxing and trying to be at peace, I start being upset about everything else:  the dogs being obnoxious, my wardrobe not being complete, my wimpy hobbies, how horrible I feel at being a wife...and it just goes on and on.  I "compound" one thing upon another until I feel like my whole life is hopeless (all in the span of about 10 minutes).  I'm like Naomi/Mara, I feel as though God has abandoned me, and he might as well, because I see myself as a hopeless cause.  Yes, Naomi had a rough life--her husband and sons had died--but Naomi compounded those losses by trying to make herself even lonelier, sending Orpah and Ruth away.  Thankfully, Naomi had someone to be there with her in her struggle, just like I have my wonderful husband to be there in my struggle.  Ruth gives Naomi something to hang on to, some light of hope.  I pray that you can regonize a godly person in your life that can be your confidante, your support when you are facing times and feelings like Naomi.  We all need those people.

What I like about this first part of Ruth's story, is that the good she did was not unnoticed.  This woman wasn't even a part of the tribe of Israel, and yet she had a good heart.  I think as Christians, we sometimes think that if we are not preaching to all our friends and coworkers, that we aren't doing our Christian duty.  But Ruth, she didn't have to belong to the church or even say anything and her goodness was noticed.  It just makes me think that as followers of Christ, yes, we need to share the message of Jesus verbally, but our actions should speak even more loudly of him:  compassion, generosity, grace, forgiveness, loyalty.  Those things will get people's attention in this world, just they they got Ruth attention in the Israelite nation.

This psalm is all about praise.  Singing praises and worshiping God--those things should not just be something we do on Sundays, but they should be the attitude of our heart from the moment we wake until we fall alsleep.  God is an awesome and loving God, and for that, we should praise him with every beat of our heart.