What Goes Around Comes Around

As Naomi’s husband led her and their sons to a foreign country, I wonder how deep her seeds of faith were sown. I wonder how she felt.
I’m not sure…
There was a famine in the land so maybe she was relieved. It must have been stressful wondering if her children’s nutritional needs would be met each day. Perhaps she shed tears of relief and thanked her husband, Elimelech.
Or…
It was during the time of the judges so maybe she was complacent. If the general consensus was “do what feels good”, perhaps she told other women in her community how satisfied she was with Elimelech’s decision and expressed assurance that the others would find a right path for them too.
Or…
Maybe she was scared to death. Frightened that Elimelech was not depending on God’s direction. Perhaps she felt doom hanging over her family as they left the promised land.
I don’t know how strong her faith was or how she felt at that time but one thing I do know…
She carried seeds of faith to Moab. While there, Naomi’s family grew to include two Moabite daughter-in-laws. For at least a period of time (maybe the entire time), God’s presence was manifested in Naomi’s life. Her faith was evident long enough for Ruth to be drawn away from her gods to the God of Israel.
Isn’t it noteworthy…
As destitute widows, Naomi changed her name to “bitter”, but Ruth professed faithfulness to God. Naomi traveled home and announced her misfortune, while Ruth opened her mind to what she could “glean” from God’s country. Naomi’s insight of the great and mighty God dulled. But… because she walked part of her life committed to God, seeds of faith were sown in the life of Ruth. It was Ruth’s faith that kept Naomi from feeling desperately alone. It was the faith of a Moabite woman that helped Naomi see clearly again.
What goes around comes around…
Sew some seeds of faith today. And tomorrow. And the next.
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16