Big picture

I was reading God's Daily Word the other day and it talked about the story of Naomi and Ruth. That story is so rich and full of life lessons. It's like so much of the Bible, it teaches you something new everytime you read it depending on the juncture of your life you are at. Sometimes you're Ruth. Sometimes you can empathize with Naomi. Other times you're Boaz. Sometimes you're back in Canaan. Other times you're stuck in the foreign land of Moab. Sometimes you're poor like when Ruth and Naomi first came back to Canaan. Other times you are sitting pretty married to Boaz.

When they first returned to Canaan, the two ladies had it rough. It is written that they lived off the discarded food left by the farmers. In other words, the leftovers. No man around to help them. To say they had a hard time is to put it mildly. I often find myself asking if they ever felt like giving up? Did they feel as if the misery they were going through had a purpose? Did their lives have a purpose or a meaning? What would Ruth tell you if you told her that her grandson would one day be the greatest king of Israel? Or that her lineage would lead directly to the Savior of mankind? Do you think she would believe you?

What about us? When we go through struggles or difficulties, can we say that there is a greater purpose in this? That God has a plan that will make things work out in the end? Because that's what the Bible says; God will work for the good of those who believe in Him. It's hard for us to have an eternal perspective; that things that bother us now will be meaningless when we stand before God. A speeding ticket is meaningless when you stand before God, but it's everything if you're struggling financially and its another burden added to you. Not getting that new pair of shoes is not a big deal from an eternal perspective, but its a big deal to your son or daughter who goes to bed crying because you didn't get it for them. Things that seem major now will be minor in eternity. The struggle for us is to maintain that frame of mind. We live in the here and now, but we are running towards eternity. Discard all things that will hinder your run towards that goal. There's no sense in winning this race, but not making it to the eternal race. That's the only one that counts.