Honesty Pants

An ancient a post I sent in to Jon Acuff last summer - full of wit and and dreamy hopes of possibly being used on his "Stuff Christians Like" guest post. But alas! No avail. So here it has been excavated, in all of its glory!

Welcome to the hunger games, ladies. Here are your husband-hunting goggles.

I worked for an outstanding Gospel-centered camp under the scorching southern sun for three summers in a row, so I understand how challenging it can be to focus on the Lord and the spiritual needs of your own campers when a consistent flow of Godly guys unintentionally throw their Christ-like character in your sweaty, sun-fried face.

So ladies, if you have ever rated your camp crush on a scale of one to Tim Tebow, keep reading.

If you have contemplated a name change, just so you can introduce yourself like this: “Hi, my name is Ruth. You must be Boaz.” – keep reading.

And if your summer mailbox still has yet to bless you with a hand-written letter from your wanna-be boo-thang, while the neighboring girl’s mailbox is an overflowing, obnoxious post office of courtship – keep reading.

Why?

Because of the original Ruth. That’s why.

If anyone in Scripture had the right to channel her inner Fergie Ferg and ask, “Where is the love?” it was Ruth. Homegirl couldn’t catch a break. After her husband dies, she moves to an entirely new city with her mother-in-law, Naomi (who wasn’t exactly the happiest person). Every day Ruth went to the fields to pick up the leftover grain so that she and Naomi would have something to eat.

The task Ruth chose to do every day was like picking up tiny pieces of confetti off the gym floor after prom. Piece by piece.

But Ruth faithfully showed up every day because she remembered the purpose behind even the smallest harvest – feeding the one woman entrusted in her care.

Scripture says when Boaz noticed Ruth first. It later talks about how all the townsmen are well-aware she is a woman of noble character.

And we all know how Ruth’s story ends.

So when you discover your heart has been captivated by a crush, try this:

Unapologetically throw your hands up during evening worship to the beat of Gungor’s “Beautiful Things,” affirm our Creator with an emphatic Matt Chandler “Yes and Amen!” because Yahweh does indeed create beautiful things and beautiful people --- but at the end of the day, remember where Ruth was when Boaz noticed her: in the field, working steadily since the morning.

So go to the field God has called you. Focus on being faithful to the harvest your hands have been asked to gather. And let God arrange the rest.