The Way We Are With People

   I have been remembering some remarkable stories in the Old Testament which lead me to think about their examples as people who just are really good with each other. Today in seminary we read through the Book of Ruth. My two Early Morning Guests seemed to be as interested as I was in the way Naomi related to Ruth, her daughter-in-law.

Naomi was deeply grieving the loss of her husband and her two sons. She was in a foreign land and could not fathom why her "nonmember " daughter-in-laws would want to accompany her to the land of Judah. But Ruth did want to be with her, she clave to her and wanted to go wherever she went. What an uplifting relationship to read about. Ruth's virtue wins over the heart of Boaz as well. He notices her in his field and sees how she stays away from flirting with his men workers. When Ruth tells Naomi that Boaz has instructed her to glean as much as she will from his fields, Naomi sees that her daughter-in-law's goodness will win over the righteous man, Boaz. And what a good example we have in Boaz, who makes sure he is not usurping the rights of another kinsmen in buying Naomi's land. This story was so good for teenagers to reflect on. The gospel is about relationships and we live it when we are good with each other.
Unfortunately, we like conflict more than peace. Here is why:

Resolving our heart of conflict brings us into a better world.