How to Find Your DestinySýnishorn

The Voice of the Masses

Having defied both the voices of emotion and rationale, Ruth continued to Bethlehem with Naomi. Ruth 1:19 (NIV) tells us that "when they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them." It's worth repeating slowly: The whole town was stirred.

Can you imagine the stares Ruth and Naomi must have drawn? I can almost see the polite quarter-smiles adorning the faces of the women on the streets as they whispered amongst themselves, "Can this be Naomi?" Oh, and by the way, who's that foreign girl with her?

The voice of the masses must have had a thing or two to say to Ruth when she left Moab, and the voice of the masses certainly greeted her when she arrived in Bethlehem.

My friends, when you step out in faith to follow the call of God in your life, trust me, people will have an opinion, and they will be more than glad to share it with you, even when you don't ask them to.

Just ask David. When he dared to follow God's lead to challenge the giant Goliath, his eldest brother questioned him for leaving his flock of sheep to come to the battle lines, accusing him of being conceited. Then there was Saul, who told David in 1 Samuel 17:33 that he was unqualified to fight Goliath, having had no prior experience on the battlefield. Let's not forget the words of the giant himself. Scripture says that Goliath "cursed David by his gods" and threatened to give his flesh to the wild animals.

David did not back down to the voice of the masses. 1 Samuel 17:48 says he ran quickly to the battle line to meet the giant. See, David wasn't seeking the approval of man to fulfill God's call on his life. He didn't wait for the applause to prod him into slaying the giant, and he certainly didn't need their affirmation that he was strong, equipped, or courageous enough.

Like David, the voice of the masses will measure you based on your outward appearance, qualifications, and even past mistakes, but the voice of God calls you based on your heart.

In Ruth 2:11-12, Boaz recognized Ruth's heart to sacrifice all she had known to serve her mother-in-law – and he favored her because of it, allowing Ruth to glean in his field and collect food to sustain herself and her mother-in-law. Had she listened to the voice of the masses, she would've never found herself in the same field that would put her on the path to redemption. Who's voice are you listening to? It's important you choose to listen to the voice of God, who loves you and has a plan for your life.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for Your voice. Thank you that You see in me what the world doesn't see. Thank you that You are calling me to live out the immeasurably more that you have planned for my life. When the voice of the masses gets too loud, help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, the author and finisher of my faith. In Jesus' name, I pray, with thanksgiving, Amen.