Let Them “Walk Away!”

There is no greater hurt in the world than when a loved one “walks away.” Sometimes, that “someone” will really have a change of heart, and come back… but, this is not always the case. And, no matter what the reason is, we always tend to blame ourselves... “I should have been a better wife… It is my fault… My child hates me… I should have let her date that boy… What did I do wrong?” It seems sometimes, that the whole world is “walking away.”

We have all heard the story of Naomi, the mother-in-law of Orpah and Ruth, in Ruth Chapter One. Naomi’s husband died, and then, both of her sons died, who were married to Ruth and Orpah. Now, all three women could not claim any inheritance and the two young women, Ruth and Orpah had no husband to carry on the family names. Because of a famine in the land, they decide to go back to Judah, where there is food.

En route, Naomi, the mother-in-law, decides she must do what is best for her daughters-in-law so she tells them to go back to Moab, and find a husband. There is some little discussion going on because Ruth doesn’t want to go, but Orpah is already “out the door!’ She “walked away.” However, Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law, saying, “Entreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee: Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God.” Ruth 1:15-16

Through the years we have been living and working in Haiti, we had volunteers working here in Haiti with us, that we loved. Some, we even gave money to, so that they could take a few days off at the beach… others, we helped them in any way we could. We really thought “they loved us, as much as we loved them,” but some had an “Absolom spirit.”

But, one by one, they “walked away.” It bothered us for years, until this morning, I was sitting getting ready for the day, it was about 5:30 a.m. I was really thinking about “being left behind by those who we had loved.” Bobby and I had often said, “What did we do wrong? We thought they loved us? We must have done something wrong.” All of a sudden, I felt the warm glow of the Holy Spirit and He said, “Move on and let them walk away. I have another plan.” After living under a cloud of “what did we do wrong” I suddenly knew that it had been time for them to “walk away” because “God had a ram in the bush,” and God could not send the ram, until the others walked away. And the Lord let me know it was best for them, because He had a plan for their lives, too! That heaviness lifted and I began to cry and praise God.

Today, if someone “walks away from you,” let them go. It is God’s will. He has a better plan! “For my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

P.S. And Ruth, the one that “didn’t walk away…” She married a “much older, much richer man named Obed.” And Obed begat Jesse and Jesse begat David… the linage of Jesus Christ! Let them “walk away!”

Sherry