“When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.”- Ruth 1:6
In Chapter 3 of All the Places to Go, John Ortberg reflects on the story of Naomi and her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Pastor Ortberg notes that Naomi has nothing to give them in terms of material or physical aid. All Naomi can offer them is freedom from the burden of caring for her.
There are two doors in this circumstance: one marked Stay and one marked Leave. Orpah chose to leave, Ruth to stay. John notes that Orpah makes the “prudent, expedient, expected, and rational” decision. In other words, she made a reasonable choice and lived a reasonable life.
Ruth, however, chooses to live an unreasonable life. Although Ruth didn’t know this when she made her choice, amazing things now will happen to her. Ruth made a simple decision to bet everything on love.
When the Jesuits first began, they chose as their motto the Lain word magis, meaning “more.” Their founder, Ignatius Loyola, used the word to inspire heroic deeds. In fact, Loyal described the ideal Jesuit as “living with one foot raised.” John concludes:
“We were made for ‘more’; not to have more out of love for self, but to do more out of love for God.”
Today’s question: How are you living with one foot raised? Please share.
New addition to the Crown Jewels: “I yam what I yam”
Tomorrow’s blog: “Open doors are everywhere”
