Influence is a powerful thing!

When I read the book of Ruth, I truly wonder what it was that Naomi did to win Ruth over to the LORD. What did she say, how did she conduct herself? Her influence had to be powerful. It was enough to make one sinner sad and cry about her choice to stay living in sin, and powerful enough to bring another person straight to the cross. Influence is a powerful thing! Sometimes, it is all that a Christian has. How we use it can be good or bad. So when I read this story, I wonder about what she did that was so powerful, and that I want to be that influence in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi~ You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

I believe Gandhi was talking about peace, but his words remind me that if I want to bring people to the cross, I have to model the behavior of the one who died on the cross. I have to be that person who can be the influence, not just by words, but by behavior. I believe that Ruth had to have the right combination of teaching and story telling with model behavior to have such an influence. She had to be the change she wanted to see in her daughters-in-law. Today’s Christians have to be the change we want to see in the world.

The behavior of Elimelech was no Godly model to follow, and neither was that of the sons. In fact, we see that their behavior was outside the will of God. These three men were as disobedient as could be. Not only did their behavior cause them to fall out of fellowship, but they broke their covenant with God. They paid the ultimate price for that. Elimelech was killed almost immediately upon entering into Moab, and the sons died ten years later. Some may say that their biggest offense was marrying someone outside the faith. While there were no laws against the marriages at the time, we all realize that we are not to marry non-believers. That would represent a relationship that is unequally yoked. I would suggest that they did not marry outside their faith, but rather married into the life of sin that they had come to love more than God. They turned their back on God and walked straight away from the chosen people. Again, we see these men died with no explanation. It must have been quick and with the understanding that since God was offended by the Moabites, He was not at all pleased with their behavior, Deuteronomy 23:3.

Deuteronomy 23:3 “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,”

So here we are. Naomi’s husband- dead. The two sons- dead. All that is left are the two daughters-in-law and the mother, Naomi. Naomi has heard that God has delivered food to the land of His people back in Bethlehem-Judah, the land of bread and praise. Naomi makes the decision to return home to be with her people, God’s chosen people. Even though Naomi loved these two ladies, and even though she most likely would have loved their companionship, Naomi offers them an opportunity to leave her. This was important because following her into the house of God has to be a voluntary act. So she advises them to return back to their homes. She is now in the position to make her own choices and is making far better choices than the men in her life. She is making choices that show the fruit of her faith. She knows Orpah and Ruth are not Israelites, so if they make the decision to come to Christ, they must do so understanding that there is no obligation to do so. They need to have the free will to make the choice. This is a picture of our free will today. Christ does not make people follow Him. It is a decision that needs to be made freely and completely. But up until this moment, they do not share her faith. They are from a land of sin, a land and a people despised by her God for all their idol worshiping.

Orpah loved her mother-in-law and Naomi loved her. Noami kissed her good-bye and Orpah cried. Then Orpah kissed Naomi good-bye and returns to her people, the people of the land of great sin and idol worship. Such is the case for many today. We will see that there was something during the ten years that Naomi did to show her faith. And at this point, Orpah wants to go with Naomi, but turns back. Today we see many people who want to follow Jesus, and may even say that they believe they do follow Jesus, but they do not turn from their sin. It is always right there. Some find it so enjoyable that they just flat out refuse to follow God, and make up a ton of excuses why “Religion” isn’t for them. Some are lukewarm Christians. They proclaim Christ, yet they do not follow. They proclaim faith, but have no works generated by the spirit that is supposed to be in them. They think that is a decision for Christ, but fail to realize that Christ says this is not a decision for Him, but rather a decision for themselves. There is no middle ground, either you are a believer and enthused about that, or not. It was an “or not” for Orpah as she sadly and fatally chose to return to sin from where she came.

Charles Spurgeon~ The one would like to follow Jesus, but the price is too much to pay; so there is a kiss somewhat like that of Judas, and Orpah goes back to her people, and to her idols.

Matthew Henry~ Orpah was loth to part from her; yet she did not love her well enough to leave Moab for her sake. Thus, many have a value and affection for Christ, yet come short of salvation by him, because they will not forsake other things for him. They love him, yet leave him, because they do not love him enough, but love other things better.

Jesus the Christ~ Revelation 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

But the wife of the oldest son, Ruth, she “clave” unto Naomi.

Key Verse~ Ruth 1:16-17 “¹⁶ And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: ¹⁷ Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

This word clave, דָּ֥בְקָה, gives us a picture that is more than ‘held onto’. It is more like, ‘joined’ or ‘become one’. Ruth was not hugging, she was clinging and squeezing onto for dear life, as if to never let go, as if they were conjoined twins needing surgically removed from one another. And then Ruth gave one of the best speeches I have ever heard. It is the speech that draws out the topical question of this article. What did Ruth do, and what did she say all those years? I think to myself, I want to be that kind of Christian. I want to act and speak in that kind of way. I want to represent God to such a degree that, after spending time with another, when parting with that person comes to pass they fall to the ground and clave onto me for dear life and say, “I want Christ as the head of my life! I want to serve your God! I want to have what you have!” I often say that when I die I want to be exhausted. I want to be totally used up. It was a lot that Naomi went through during her time in Moab, but she brought a lost sinner to the cross. All that for just one person and it was glorious. I think that even though God made clear how he felt towards the Moabites, he had mercy on Ruth when she fell to the ground and begged to be brought into the people of God. When I think about this I am overcome with joy and hope that I can obtain, with plenty of prayer and obedience and hard spirit filled work, the example that Naomi was to Ruth. What an example Naomi must have been. Never giving up on the God of Israel when her husband and sons did. Talking and teaching about all that God did for his children of Israel. And then being the determined follower to the point that she would just pick-up and return after the death of her loved ones.

Adam Clark~ A more perfect surrender was never made of friendly feelings to a friend: I will not leave thee – I will follow thee: I will lodge where thou lodgest – take the same fare with which thou meetest; thy people shall be my people – I most cheerfully abandon my own country, and determine to end my days in thine. I will also henceforth have no god but thy God, and be joined with thee in worship, as I am in affection and consanguinity. I will cleave unto thee even unto death; die where thou diest; and be buried, if possible, in the same grave. This was a most extraordinary attachment, and evidently without any secular motive.

I just had lunch with a good man the other day who spoke about a sermon he gave. He asked his church, what does their conduct say about the kind of Christian they are. I asked that of myself and was disappointed in my truthful answer. I am my own worst critic, much harder on myself than others are on me. But the truth is that, compared to whatever it was that Naomi did and said, I am falling short. I can improve every day, I want to improve every day. The worst thing I could for my relationship with God is be content with where I am at this moment. The worst thing I can do is come up with excuses to try to claim Christ and claim the world at the same time. Being a lukewarm Christian is like not being a Christian at all, in the eyes of Christ. The featured picture here is my thermostat. In life on earth, 68-75 degrees is a comfortable middle of the road temperature for me. My wonderful wife affectionately calls me her Polar Bear because I would love a life in the high mountains of Alaska! However, if this thermostat was a gauge for my salvation, I would be in serious trouble! I would hope that top needle would be buried to the far, far right! I don’t want to ever be happy with where I am in my walk in Christ. There is more to learn, there is more to do. May my run to Him always be a full-out sprint. Being a Christian is not boring and it is tons of fun. I want to feel alive and excited about being redeemed. I have a thirst for my LORD, the worse thing I believe that could ever happen to me is to feel like that thirst has been quenched. May I live my whole life on earth searching to quench that thirst, yet dying a thirsty and worn out old man!

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!