Tattoos and Ruth

Darn, somehow in the middle of a post my browser closed. Starting over. :)

If you know me fairly well, you know that tattoos aren't really my thing. I've never considered getting one much because 1) I couldn't think of a good place where I could get dressed up and fancy and not have a tattoo showing. and 2) what could I possibly like enough to permanently put it on my body.

Which leads me to Ruth. I picked up a study/devotional called Ruth: Loss, Love, and Legacy by Kelly Minter. It's been a great study for me because it isn't just a fluff inspirational reading for the day. At the same time, it's not so theological and deep that it's unapproachable. It's the perfect balance.

I got to Day 3 and came up to the part where we read Ruth 1:8 " May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me". Naomi is speaking to Ruth as Ruth has followed Naomi back home to Bethlehem and leaving her home country of Moab.

We learn in our study that the word translated as kindness, actually falls very short of conveying what the word is in Hebrew. The Hebrew word is hesed. Here's what Kelly quotes from another author:

"A strong relational term that wraps up in itself an entire cluster of concepts, all the positive attributes of God - love, mercy, grace, kindness, goodness, benevolence, loyalty, covenant faithfulness: in short, that quality that moves a person to act for the benefit of another without respect to the advantage it might bring to the one who expresses it."

WOW! Is that not just beautiful!?!

Of course, Israel associate hesed with God's covenant relationship with her, despite Israel wandering at times and disobeying, Yahweh was steadfast in His covenant loyalty with her. Reading that short bit in my study caused me to want to know more. What do other scholars say about hesed? In different places in the Bible, hesed is translated as love, kindness, loving-kindness, mercy or goodness. One scholar says:

The word is used only in cases where there is some recognized tie between the parties concerned. It is not used indiscriminately of kindness in general, haphazard, kindly deeds;

Love that first off, it represents a bond or tie between people and that it's not used flippantly. In an age where we love everything from pizza and jobs to people and places, it's good to know this word hesed is used very deliberately when it's used in the Bible.

and I continued reading to find:

The theological importance of the word chesed is that it stands more than any other word for the attitude which both parties to a covenant ought to maintain towards each other. Sir George Adam Smith suggested the rendering 'leal-love.' The merit of this translation is that it combines the twin ideas of love and loyalty, both of which are essential. On the other hand, it does not sufficiently convey the idea of the steadfastness and persistence of God's sure love for his covenant-people.

I love the idea that it's an action towards each other and that while loyalty and love does an okay job of describing it, hesed encompassed a steadfastness and persistence too. This just kept reminding me of marriage and marriage vows and a marriage covenant that is made. Then, I began wondering what marriages would look like if we took our relationship and lived out hesed.

A couple of more findings:

In the Hebrew Scriptures hesed refers to the kind of love that is promised and is owed 'a mutual exchange of affection and loyalty based on mutual obligations' love formed in the bonds of covenant.

and

This bond of covenant love between Yahweh and His children, like marital love, it is neither optional nor unconditional. It is obligatory and its intimacy limited to the beloved. This is not to say hesed as covenant love is forced or compelled. The covenant partner enters freely into the bond of love. Just as in marriage, love cannot be forced but it is expected in fulfillment of the union. This covenant love may be freely and graciously given but from the biblical perspective, there is no such thing as "free love." In this way hesed is not so much a feeling as a decision of will.

Which brings me to a tattoo. I loved the idea of being challenged by this word hesed and thought perhaps I could get it tattooed on my ring finger. It could be neatly hidden under my rings but still a reminder for me to know it's there.

חֶסֶד