Deep Commitment
I have had relationships over the years that have developed into deep friendships. I feel like the richest man on earth when it comes to family, friends and colleagues. I think one of the things that makes my life so rich and full is the depth of commitment that we have to one another. I believe crisis reveals character and commitment. Crisis doesn’t always create or destroy these two character qualities.
I came across one of my favorite historical stories of the Old Testament scripture in the book of Ruth. The story opens with Elimelech and Naomi fleeing a famine in Israel to the land of Moab. They took their two young sons as well. They were from Bethlehem. I was reminded when I read where they are from, how God is continuing to write a story that involves a Savior born in the same town that they were from years later. At some point, Elimelech dies and their two sons marry Moabite women. About 10 years after that, Naomi’s two sons die leaving her alone with their two wives. Naomi hears that there is once again good crops and food in Judah again, so she decides to return to her homeland. So her and her two daughter-in-law’s head out. Check this out….
8 But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.
10 “No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.”
14 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. 15 “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. (Ruth 1:8-10;16-18 NLT)
The reason this is such a favorite part of the historical record is the deep love that this young lady Ruth has for her late husband’s mother. Her commitment was solid and very deep. She has no intention of leaving the side of her mother-in-law, whom I would contend she sees as her own mother.
This historical blesses me because it teaches me things about character when crisis comes. These ladies had faced deep grief and were still trying to figure life out. Naomi wanted the best for the two widowed Moabite women. I believe her love for them was genuine. I believe that Ruth understood commitment at a very deep level. They were in crisis of circumstances, but they had options.
I was reminded this morning of how important it is to keep developing my faith and my character during times of crisis. A crisis puts pressure on everyone differently, but I believe that character can grow even stronger in the middle of crisis if there is commitment. Our lives are made of multiple bumps in the road or even of roads where the bridge is out and we have to figure out how to get over, under or through the crisis to the next level. I will continue to consult the Word of God and the Spirit of God to speak into my heart as I navigate any and every situation I face.
Pressing On!
Dwayne