Discernment and Right Judgment (Ruth 1:6-18)

“Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband! Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, No, we will return with you to your people. But Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me. Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

And she said, See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law. But Ruth said, Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you. And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.”

Ruth 1:6-18

This time in Ruth we looked at the above passage.  Naomi is on her way back to Bethlehem, and the three women stop to have a conversation.  Naomi recognizes that it is too much to ask that her daughters-in-law accompany her back to Bethlehem.  It will be very dangerous, they won’t know anyone, and they will have nothing of familiarity.  On top of that Naomi does not need someone who is not committed to her to come with her.  The last thing she needs is to depend on someone, and have them leave.  So we see Naomi encourage her daughters to go back to their own culture and family.  We see that Orpah (**cough, Oprah, cough**) does indeed leave, however Ruth commits to going with Naomi and staying with her for the remainder of her life.

There are two main topics that I see in this story.  The first is discernment.  Naomi, having lived with both of her daughters for at least a fair amount of time, would have known they’re character very well.  This means that Naomi knew the outcome of this conversation before they had it.  Ruth and Orpah are very different in that one is a Christian (OT version) and the other isn’t.

Ruth has had a genuine conversion.  She is selflessly faithful to Naomi, and trusts God.  It has been said that the faith of Ruth might have even been greater than that of Abraham.  Abraham left his family, culture and people on the hopes that God had something better for him in store.  Ruth did the same except for one thing: Ruth never heard from God.  Ruth was never told by God what to do, and that is the reason her faith might be the greatest in scripture.

Orpah on the other hand goes where there is the most gain.  She makes the selfish decision to return to Moab, and her family.  And Naomi makes the right observation that she is also returning to her gods as well.  Naomi knew that, though Orpah appeared to be a Christian, she wasn’t.  That is why I believe that Naomi gave her the opportunity to leave, knowing she would, for both her and Ruth’s benefit.

The second topic is that of right judging.  People today have some naive notion that Christians aren’t supposed to judge people.  Now, like most lies, this is half true.  We do not have authority to pass judgment as to whether someone is going to hell or not.  However, using the clues we have around us we do have to pass judgment as to whether someone is a benefit for us to be around.  Naomi knew that if Orpah was the person that she thought she was, she was going to be a bad influence on both her and Ruth.  Now, Naomi did not condemn Orpah, merely allowed her to do what she really wanted.  We as Christians do need to look at the fruits one one’s life and decide whether or not we should be around them.  Proverbs is full of stories where people choosing the wrong friends, and pay the consequences of it.  Just because someone claims the name of Christ, doesn’t mean they are good to be around.  Even Jesus had Judas among the twelve.

So the lesson for this week is on being discerning.  Pay attention to the little things.  And don’t be afraid to pass judgment on what you see.  We as Christians are to call sin, sin.  Simply be cautious in how you go about it, and do everything out of love, and for their good, and the building up of the Church.  God bless.