Joy for the Ragtags

Ruth 4:13-22

I was always a fan of the old Merrie Melodies cartoon, “Holiday for Shoestrings”. It’s a story of a poor shoe cobbler who can’t work because he’s sick. Elves come while he is sleeping and do all the work for him, even making sure he stays in bed and gets to feeling better (as he does, he wants to go golfing, but the elves know he still needs rest). The cobbler started out hurting and frustrated, but when he saw the gift he was given was filled with joy. This is all put to the music of the Nutcracker; a silly and fun moment of encouragement in the midst of a difficult life for our cobbler friend.

The cobbler was facing a rough trial; something that is all too common today. For many, it seems each day just becomes more of a challenge than the last. James 1 discussed the challenge to count it as joy when you experience difficult trials. Jesus said in John 16 that we will have trouble in this life, but we can get through it because He’s overcome the world. The entire book of Philippians is a letter to a group of Christians that are in some of the worst situations in the Roman empire – hence Paul’s focus on joy. Clearly, life is difficult, but if we are told to have joy in trials, then joy is a choice. It is something that we can have and hold, despite our situation.

Joy is a Gift

This is the great gift of Christmas! Joy in reach that we can hold onto and bring into our life. We just have to grab onto Jesus! Not happiness (explain momentary fleeting of happiness vs the eternal presence of joy), but joy. Happiness is a temporary feeling Joy is an eternal gift; confidence that God did, in fact, overcome the world. This is the victory that we see in the climax of Ruth 4.

The gift of joy satisfies Ruth:

• Naomi (name means “pleasant”) and her family go to Moab in search of a better life but get the opposite – death and destitution. Ruth chooses God, choosing to stay with Naomi, who wants to change her name to Mara (name means “bitter”). The chapter climaxes with God still calling her Naomi.
• Naomi, hunting for joy in a hard life, prepares Ruth and mentors her to work in the field of Naomi’s kin, Boaz. Survival mode.
• Naomi then plans a marriage scheme for Ruth, coaching her to present herself to Boaz. He is interested but can’t do much about it.
• Boaz must navigate the business deal, as Elimelech gets the first right of refusal. God works it out and leaves Boaz with the purchase rights and marriage to Ruth. Life is still difficult, but the gift of joy was delivered.

The story that began with Naomi and her husband leaving Israel for Moab in search of a better life ends with a new individual in the line of the future kings of Israel in Matthew 1:5. Joy was a gift given in the arrival of Obed. Naomi’s life would not get easier, but joy arrived for her swaddled and soft. Things certainly would not get easier – just like marriage in real life. The reality of marriage is that it’s living life in the difficult moments and holding onto each other no matter what – through anger, sickness, tragedy, etc. as opposed to the fantasy of “happily ever after”. With Obed wrapped up on her lap, joy was in reach; real and tangible – something she could always hold on to in her difficult and trial-filled life.

Joy Must Be Received

Naomi never stood a real chance: her daughter-in-law was a foreigner and outsider, a social pariah; a kinsman redeemer who wasn’t important enough to be the first choice, a left behind from a collection of also-rans; and herself that she tried to redefine by the bitterness she felt in the worst days of her life. But when joy was offered, she reached out and took hold. Joy in hand.

I have some old friends who has been searching for years for the joy that comes in Jesus. I’ve seen them battle family issues, addictions, job issues, work crises, relationship issues, and health problems, yet they won’t give up. They want the best life they can get and will try anything to get it. Life has beat them up pretty bad. But they’ve not grabbed hold of the joy offered; we’ve discussed it many times but no commitment to hold on to joy like Naomi did.

Next Steps

Christmas is the gift of God’s joy through Jesus. Joy is in your reach. But it must be grabbed and held onto. How are you holding onto joy in your life?

1. Hold onto the joy of Christ in this trial-filled world – dependency on Him is the only way to survive/thrive
2. Be a joy deliverer – participate in an outreach ministry
3. Host someone in your home who is a different ethnicity than you (consider Ruth’s situation)

Hold onto joy by sharing it with anyone who will listen. Be like those elves from the Merrie Melodies cartoon and live to share joy.