TEXT: RUTH 2<\/p>\n
Every human being is endowed with different talents and abilities which are usually a sign post in discerning and functioning in your purpose ( Purpose as per Dr. Myles Monroe is the reason for creation) and vocation (vocation in the context of this writeup focuses occupation\/profession).<\/p>\n
The singlehood season is a season which we can maximize for our self development in every dimension of life. Self development entails training yourself now to be who you want to be in order to attain your life vision. Proverbs 29:18a (KJV) says \u201cwhere there is no vision, the people perish\u2026\u201d. Vision helps give you direction on where you are going. Purpose Provides Vision and vision is a direct result of purpose, providing the impetus to act on the direction set by purpose (In pursuit of purpose by Dr. Myles Monroe) .
\nLet\u2019s draw inspiration from the story of Ruth on how we can maximized the singlehood season to discern and function in her purpose and vocation.<\/p>\n
Ruth had a talent in gathering grain (Ruth 2:2) and Ruth decided to exploit and develop this talent. With consistent hard work, she found herself working in Boaz\u2019s field as one of the harvesters (Ruth 2:3-23). So we can say Ruth\u2019s occupation was farming. It is also worth noting that this occupation was a source of livelihood for Ruth and her mother in-law (Ruth 2:17-18 and 23).<\/p>\n
In our previous write-ups, we saw how Ruth left Moab, decided to follow her mother in-law Naomi to Bethlehem, decided to worship the living God and live among people who worshipped the living God. One of the abilities Ruth had was caring for others. This is evident in the way she humbly and respectfully catered for Naomi her mother in-law (Ruth 2:11-12; 17 & 23). If we read ahead, in Ruth 4, we notice Boaz married Ruth and they had a son Obed who was the grand-father of David and this is part of the ancestral lineage of Jesus Christ.
\nDespite the fact that Ruth was a Moabite of origin, I believe her purpose was linked to being part of the lineage and caring for the family from which Jesus Christ came from. Nevertheless, discerning, functioning and fulfilling her purpose only came after she decided to follow her creator God. In living up to her purpose, she fulfilled the specific tasks which came with the different seasons of her life. Ruth 2 records the singlehood season of Ruth\u2019s life and one specific task linked to her purpose here was caring for her Naomi. We should also notice that even her occupation (vocation) of working in Boaz\u2019s field was linked to her purpose. From this we understand that even our vocation is usually linked to our purpose. For instance, David was skillful in taking care of sheep and his occupation was being a shepherd of sheep, this was his vocation during one season of his life. Nevertheless this was linked to fulfilling his purposes of being King of Israel, the shepherd of people. David may have wanted to build the temple of God, but that was not his God-given purpose. God had purposed Solomon as the one to build the temple. Meaning every one was created for a specific purpose.
\nGod is a God of purpose and everything He created has a purpose. Just like the fabricator of every product has the best mastery of the product\u2019s purpose and how it should function to fulfill the purpose for which it was produced, God knows why He created each individual how they should function to attain their purpose. Imagine the original producer of a refrigerator did not make known its purpose of food preservation by keeping food cold after connecting the refrigerator to a power source. I can imagine how some people would have used a brand new refrigerator to pack plates, cups etc, and the lack of knowledge of the purpose of the refrigerator would have led to abuse of its use. The essence of our existence is to fulfill our God given purpose and our creator God is the best to help us discern and function in our purpose.<\/p>\n
Jesus Christ\u2019s purpose on earth was to save mankind. This purpose was the driving force for Jesus Christ\u2019s life on earth and everything He did. Jesus\u2019 life in fulfilling His purpose had different seasons and He maximized these seasons to fulfil the specific task for that season. For instance, when Jesus was twelve years old, He used that season to learn and grow in wisdom (Luke 2:41-52). Jesus was about thirty years old when he started His public ministry and during this season, He was tempted by the devil in wilderness. Jesus knew his purpose and was steadfast in living every season to fulfill his purpose. So, because he had a secured relationship with God who set out His purpose, He was committed to fulfilling this purpose. There was a season when Jesus embarked on teaching the word of God and there was a season of performing miracles. No wonder in John 2:1-11, when Jesus\u2019 mother told him about a shortage in supply of wine, Jesus replied\u2026 \u201cMy time has not yet come\u201d. Even the season of crucifixion, death and resurrection where all in line with fulfilling Jesus Christ\u2019s purpose of saving mankind.<\/p>\n