Week 12 Ruth
Bible readings tend to transfer their own qualities into my head. And since their qualities aren’t neutral…and since my head isn’t neutral…there’s sometimes a kind of bible-reader’s Psychic Turbulence going on.
For instance the book of Judges isn’t neutral. It starts in a state of tribal degradation and crashes to an end with a story of vicious cruelty and violent stupidity. (I’m tempted to think that Judges is the ultimate example on how absolutely degenerated the world can be…but I won’t because then I’d have to pretend there were no 20th & 21st centuries.) Judges is dark. I think of it as being one of the deep blue books of the bible. Judges isn’t going to give me much elevation under any circumstances…but especially if I’m feeling the blues. If I could schedule it I’d only read Judges on a sunny day.
The book of Ruth is different. I can read Ruth under overcast grey because she brings her own warmth and lightness and boost. Ruth is as inspiring as Judges is dispiriting.
So reading Ruth today reminds me that bible readings tend to transfer their own qualities into the inside of me. There’s always those two factors: what I’m reading and what I’m feeling. When I’m reading-through in a programmatic way I can’t always match up the two.
Psychic Turbulence is a bible-reader’s concern. Being aware of it doesn’t resolve everything. But being on heightened alert is a bit of a help.