Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/74

Contributor - R. A. Hertmans

Title - Be Good News

Topic - Be Good News

Most news is bad news these days. So much which happens in our neighbourhood or far away depresses us. accidents, natural disasters, inflation. Sometimes one may sigh, "I wish I could do something". But then there are the family, responsibilities at work, church activities perhaps, which keep us busy. Besides, the needs surrounding us are so overwhelming that it seems that one person can do so very little to help.

From the Bible we may learn that one person's compassion can change the world. Read the Book of Ruth. This Old Testament book is so small that it can be covered in ten minutes. Ruth is a young widow who lives with Naomi, her mother-in-law. Naomi has lost her husband and two sons after they immigrated. When Naomi wants to return to the "old country", Ruth insists loyally that she will go along. "Where you go, I will go," she says, "and 'where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God my God . . ." (1 : 16). Then the women return to Israel, and they settle down in Bethlehem.

In order to make a living, Ruth goes out to glean wheat and barley in the fields of a wealthy relative by the name of Boaz. He, in turn, shows great kindness by seeing to it that there is always enough grain left behind by the harvesters, so that Ruth and Naomi will not need to go hungry.

The story has a happy ending. Thanks to a bit of scheming on the part of Naomi, Boaz takes Ruth the foreigner to be his wife. She bears him a son by the name of Obed, who was the father of Jesse, the father of King David. The story does not tell us, however, that through David, Ruth will also become the forebear of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the story of Ruth teaches us that one person's compassion may change the world.

We can also do our share in changing the world. Think of some person or family around you who is in some need. Our society could become a different place to live in if every Christian would take his responsibility and adopt someone who is grieving, or poor, or lonely, or in the hospital, or in prison. (See Matthew 25.) We Christians have the good news of Jesus Christ to share with a world of turmoil. Jesus wants us to be good and faithful servants, to be good news through his guidance.

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