What If?

 

I am such a fan of Marvel. “I love you 3000” line will now always have a special place in my heart when it comes to Larry.  They have a short story series called “What If” showing different scenarios from a twist in a person’s decision.

This made me think of what if they had this in the Bible version?  What sparked this thought was Ruth.  Ruth is the only woman in the Bible that actually states her as being a virtuous woman (Numbers 3:11).  It is even said that Proverbs 31 may have been inspired by Ruth.  Yet think about Ruth’s journey.

Ruth was a Moabite woman who was enjoying the accustoms of her culture with her husband. She didn’t even worship the true God at the time.  Then bam, she finds herself in a world that would rip her from her normal.  She was suddenly place in this world called widow.

Being face with a two road path, Ruth had to make a decision.  She could either turn and go back to what was familiar as her sister-in-law Orpah did; or she could leave her comfort zone to be a blessing to Naomi, her mother-in-law.  This could not have been an easy decision for Ruth to make.  By going with Naomi she will be leaving her own family and the lifestyle she was comfortable with.  It also meant she wouldn’t have time to mourn over the loss of her husband.  We all know she chose to be with Naomi, but what if?

What if Ruth decided to let Naomi be on her own and went back with her familiar.  She certainly wouldn’t have been wrong in doing so.  Her world as she knew it had just been rocked.  It would have only been within her right. Yet with one turn of a decision, think about all that Ruth would have lost!

If she would had turn like Orpah, she would have never met Boaz and never remarried.  She would have never had a son name Obed, a grandson name Jesse, a great grandson name David, and a great-great grandson name Solomon.  She would of never became a decedent of Jesus Christ. We wouldn’t have her example of courage, diligence, worker, loyalty, and strength.

So think about it, what if.  What if by ending the chapter of the lives we had with our spouses creates a Ruth type of story.  What if we don’t decide to settle in our grief, but get up and keep moving into the next season that God wants us to be. Yet the hardest part is making that decision.  May God give us the grace to move forward into our next season with Him.  In addition, may we see Ruth as one of our Bible superhero’s.  The woman is just awesome J

Be Encouraged.