The Right Direction

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. ² The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. ³ But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. ⁴ These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, ⁵ and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
From Ruth 1, ESV

A close friend recently shared a perspective about Naomi from the book of Ruth. I never considered how Naomi was wronged by her husband. When studying Ruth, we often focus on the romance of Ruth and Boaz and not Naomi's role. However, Elimelech, running from hard times, takes his family to Moab, which would have been against God's design for his family. Then, the wrongs continue when his sons take foreign wives. Finally, he and his sons die, arguably as a direct result of his sin.

When Naomi returns to Judah, she asks to be called Marah meaning bitter. Wouldn't we all be if our husbands' actions led to such heartache?

The story doesn't end there, thankfully. We are familiar with the good that results from her husband's sin. Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, becomes a believer. Also, Ruth accompanies Naomi in her return to Judah. Even through the difficulties, Naomi remembers that she needs to trust God. Drowning in bitterness, she seeks to obey God by traveling home to her people and, in a way, her God.

The happy ending occurs when Ruth, a relationship resulting from Elimelech's sin, assists in Naomi's redemption by seeking help from Boaz, their kinsman redeemer. Ruth obeys Naomi's orders, and God redeems both women's lives in spite of the wrongs of the husband. (Read Ruth for the whole story.) Eventually, Jesus comes directly from the lineage of Boaz and Ruth. Our Redeemer results from Naomi's faithfulness to God in spite of her embittered state.

From bitterness to redemption, Naomi's example can teach us a lot. If we find ourselves consumed in bitterness, we need to take steps in the right direction no matter how difficult. God can redeem us no matter what others inflict upon us. He can use us for great things, too. We only need to start walking.