Honor Your Parents???Shembull

Ruth is busy working in the field, gleaning behind the harvesters and, finally, she takes a well-deserved lunch break. She sits down for her meal, and Boaz, the owner of the field and her soon-to-be suitor, offers her some bread and roasted grain. Ruth has her fill of the food - and then she does the simplest, yet sweetest, thing. She packs a to-go bag from the special food for Naomi. 

It’s a little detail that we would, perhaps, overlook. But let’s consider it for a moment. After all, Ruth was going to take back all the barley she had gleaned and husked which would have been more than sufficient for both her and Naomi. But as she ate the special roasted grain that Boaz gave her, Ruth thought about her mother-in-law.

Today, let’s challenge ourselves to honor our parents by supporting them from a place of gratitude rather than obligation.

Ruth demonstrated this principle with her little box of special food from her lunch. 

And Jesus lived that example of giving of Himself throughout His time on earth. He poured out His life even unto death. And He continues to give and give and give some more. 

Today, autonomy and independence seem to be the order of the day. But is that how it’s meant to be? Can we learn to give as Jesus goes? He gives not because He is even remotely obligated to us but because He is Love. We can’t follow His example in our own strength and so we pray:

Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit, transform my bent to self-preservation into a heart that is supportive