Volume 3, Issue 1

February 4, 2025

It happened again! We were stopped at a light in our little city, and as usual, there was a lady standing on the corner, holding a cardboard sign.

 

As I read the message on her sign, I fought the urge to reach for my wallet. This happens to me all of the time!

 

As women, we are created to nurture, mother, and empathize. It’s in our nature. And unfortunately, that makes us more susceptible to manipulation. 

 

And this specific situation is an example of toxic empathy.

 

You might be thinking that empathy isn’t toxic, but when it is used as a manipulation tactic, it is. Let me explain.

 

I’ve spent some time serving in a recovery ministry in our city. As a result, I’ve come to learn that there are many shelters, kitchens, and other resources available to the homeless.

 

However, to take advantage of these resources, participants must submit to the rules. So when they choose to stay on the street, hold a sign, and take money from passersby, they are, in essence, preferring that over following someone else’s rules.

 

Therefore, no matter what the cardboard sign says, the lifestyle they are living is a choice. That makes it manipulation and toxic empathy.

 

I highly recommend Allie Stuckey’s new book Toxic Empathy. It will give you great insight into many of the tactics being used today, including in conversations surrounding illegal immigration, transgenderism, and abortion. 

 

You can find the book by clicking the button below.

If you are reading through the Bible chronologically this year, you will spend this week in the book of Exodus. This is a great time to dig a little deeper into some topics that were very important to the Israelites.

If you think back to our time in Genesis, you will recall God’s covenant with Abraham. Abraham was commanded to be circumcised as a symbol of the covenant. This would give Abraham a physical mark that would set him and his descendants apart from other peoples and nations.

 

But, as we are reminded in the book of Romans, Abraham’s circumcision came after his faith. There was nothing salvific or redemptive about the circumcision itself. For his descendants, however, this symbolic act became their identity. They were circumcised as babies, so they did not have faith prior to the circumcision. And it took on a meaning of its own.

 

Paul goes to great lengths in the book of Romans to demonstrate that it is no longer necessary. It is symbolic for Jews, but it is not necessary among the Gentiles. There are many other places in Scripture that indicate this issue was hotly debated in the early church. Paul goes so far as to rebuke Peter because he behaves differently among the circumcised than he does among the uncircumcised.

The book of Ruth is a Narrative, which means it is a story. This doesn't mean it is fiction. Think of it as sitting down with a friend who tells you about something that happened the other day. The author is giving us an account of what happened.

 

It contains elements of different types of stories:

One interesting element about the account of Boaz and Ruth is that it is told from a woman's viewpoint. It includes feminine values and feelings. This is unusual not only for books in the Bible, but also for most literature of this time period.

 

It is also important to note that the book of Ruth exalts virtuous womanhood and strong manhood, a lesson that is much needed in our culture today.

 

As you read, look for contrasting pairs of words:

These contrasting words remind us of the change that takes place for Ruth and Naomi.

 

It is named for the main character of the book, though, as a literature teacher, I think Ruth is a flat character (meaning she doesn't really develop or change throughout the story), and Naomi is a round character (meaning we get to see a change in her), so the book should be titled Naomi in my humble opinion. Keep in mind that the titles of the books in the Bible, along with the chapter and verse breaks, are not in the original texts.

 

Perhaps the reason the book is named for Ruth is because, while she doesn't say much, her words seem to drive the story:

I once heard a pastor refer to the book of Ruth as "the happy ending to the book of Judges." While it takes place during a difficult time in Israel's history, those hardships do not get much air time in the book. Instead, the book focuses on one family and their loss and renewal.

 

The author of the book of Ruth is unknown. Most scholars simply refer to a narrator instead of an author. We do know from the context that the book was written after David's reign had been established, but the events described took place at least 40 years before.

 

The author left a few clues in the writing to indicate that he was writing about a long time before:

Moab originated when Lot fathered a son, Moab, by his oldest daughter. After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, when their mother was turned into a pillar of salt, Lot's daughters conspired to get him drunk for the purpose of producing heirs.

 

Remember the story of Balaam's donkey? That was the result of King Balak of Moab hiring Balaam the prophet to oppose and curse Israel, which had the opposite result (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). Also, Moab worshipped the god Chemosh, which required child sacrifice, and was cursed by God as a result. This is especially important for Ruth because returning to your people meant returning to your gods.

If this is your first Faith FULL Echoes newsletter, you can access previous issues by clicking the button below. Feel free to reach out to me to let me know what topics you would like discussed in the future.

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