The Gideons, Naomi, and Ruth

I usually don't evangelize on this blog but today I will. Sunday Sept 2 I went to church and two representatives from the Gideons were there to give their spiel and to ask for money for Bibles. While I firmly believe in what the Gideons do, hand out bibles to anyone in need and donate them to hospitals, hotels etc, I do not support them financially because they exclude women from their membership and for a man to be a Gideon they have to be white collar. You can read more about the Gideons here.

After Mr. Gideon made his plea for money we had the scripture lesson which came from Ruth. The story was about the widowed Naomi and her widowed daughters in law Ruth and Orpah. The three ladies were returning to Bethlehem and Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to go back to their mother's home and find husbands. Ruth and Orpah insisted that they follow Naomi but Orpah decided to head back and Ruth followed Naomi to Bethlehem to she could care for her. You can read the passage here

Later in the service the pastor went into his sermon and he went into the book of Ruth further. He talked about how an ordinary person like Ruth became extraordinary. When Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem the harvest was starting and since they were poor and had no food Ruth went to work in the barley fields and gleaned what the harvesters left behind. Eventually Ruth married Boaz who was a relative of Naomi's. Ruth was significant because she became an ancestor of Jesus.

Naomi and Ruth were women who took the initiative. Instead of waiting for things to get better, they left their home to look for greener pastures. Even though Ruth eventually married Boaz and had a son, (only one son, not 19, hear that Duggars!) she worked.

I hope the story of Naomi and Ruth hid a chord with Mr. Gideon. Women are more than capable of bearing children. They can work in the fields too.

Sarah Palin and her ilk fancy her as a Queen Esther. She's really a Jezebel or a Delilah and definitely not a Ruth which is sad. Every woman should strive to be a Ruth or a Naomi.

I feel Christianity should not be discriminatory. Everyone who wants to witness should be able too.

That was my take on the sermon.

After the sermon we had our monthly communion.

Amen.