Turning the Corner of Hope

For good reason, Naomi has not had a lot of capacity to think about what is best for Ruth. After all, Naomi had lost her husband and two sons and felt abandoned by God!

But after the generosity of Ruth (and the following generosity by Boaz), Naomi has found hope again. The story now progresses with Naomi taking the initiative and no longer recovering and being cared for. Now she moves into being the caregiver:

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.” - Ruth 3:1

Naomi turns the corner, leveraging her newfound hope into real action. Naomi, by looking for a husband for Ruth, is looking out for Ruth’s needs ahead of her own. Naomi would no longer share a small room with Ruth should Ruth find a husband. In fact, all sorts of relational dynamics might change between them. And yet, it simply was not safe to be a young widow like Ruth in a world built around men’s privilege, power, protection and provision. And yet Naomi presses ahead and does what’s best for Ruth.

Have you sensed a ‘turning’ in a relationship lately - where perhaps you’ve discovered the inner resources to no longer make it about you? What shifted to allow you to put someone else first, or what circumstance changed from the outside? Talk with Jesus about these things - he’s always very interested in the journey towards putting others first.