CALL ME MARA!

Ruth 1:18-21 CSB

When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her. [19] The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival and the local women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?" [20] "Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara," she answered, "for the Almighty has made me very bitter. [21] I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"


Have you ever faced a challenge or been in a situation that made you feel like you needed a change of name to match what you’re going through? To at least justify why you’re in such a state or to hold something or someone other than yourself responsible for that situation?

It is most likely that the former was the case for Naomi. She wanted the new name she picked for herself to be the reason she was in her predicament. The fact that Naomi was easily recognized by the people around her tells us that her family was reputable enough for recognition. But instead of acknowledging their greetings and recognition, she refuted by calling out a name that she felt fitted her mindset and situation.

Have you ever felt that? Bitterness! Why and what would push a person so low that they are willing to be called bitterness in expression of their trials? Bitterness is from the enemy; it’s a very damaging emotion and feeling. Bitterness is anger that has settled in for the long term. It is an anger that has birthed resentment, the feeling that we have been treated harshly, unfairly, or carelessly. Left to eat its way deep into our minds, emotions, and even our souls, bitterness can turn us into hostile, hardened people as we see expressed in Esther 5:9. The poison of bitterness, left unchecked, can destroy us. Perhaps the most dangerous thing about bitterness is that it becomes a roadblock to forgiveness, which puts our relationship with God and others on hold.

Bitterness undermines our relationship with God. John echoes Jesus’ words that whoever hates another person is a murderer at heart in Matthew 5:21-22. Christianity is a religion of the heart; outward compliance alone is not enough. Bitterness against someone who has wronged you is an evil cancer within you and will eventually destroy you. Don’t let a “bitter root” according to Hebrews 12:15 grow in us.

But who was Naomi angry with and bitter against? Her late husband, herself, or the Lord? It’s so easy to become angry and bitter when it looks as if the Lord isn’t going to answer us or deliver us from all troubles, especially when we forget God’s grace, which is showered upon us daily as stated in Hebrews 12:15: “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

“Do not call me Naomi (Pleasant) but call me Mara (Bitter).” Why would someone go from pleasant to bitter? Life! Pain! Heartache! Disappointment and despair! She felt this was appropriate for all she had gone through; she saw her life as full of sorrow. She also accused the Lord of making her life bitter and unbearable—this is a slander against the Lord. She felt bitter because her later life was empty compared to the former.

Life can become meaningless when we allow prolonged grief to turn to despair because it robs us of the joy that our spirit longs for as seen in 2 Samuel 19:6-7: “You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight.”

Mara! Bitter! When discontentment builds up, it creates resentment that causes anger and then bitterness. We see that as well in Miriam in Numbers 12:1-2, who because of bitterness developed a critical spirit. We must avoid bitterness at all costs and not allow it to take root. We can follow Esau’s example in Genesis 33:1-20, who ran to meet his brother Jacob and embraced him affectionately and kissed him. There are times when simple forgiveness can relieve a lifetime of bitterness.

The Lord’s hand is never against anyone as Naomi implies, so don’t hurry to change your name to match that problem and magnify it. Instead, wait on the Lord to complete what He started as He always does.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to never allow challenges and problems to push me to doubt you and contradict your word in Jesus’ name, amen. 

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