While People Talk, God Redeems.

Scripture:
"So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” “Don’t call me Naomi, ” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
Ruth 1:19-21 NIV
...
"The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord , who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David."
Ruth 4:14-17 NIV

Application:
People talk. When bad things strike, people will make sure we're aware of how bad we look and how far we've fallen from our prior status. The more we listen, the more it hurts. And hurt people naturally want to blame others. Ultimately, they'll blame God. 

But hold on.

God has plans that are bigger than our lost status. He can take our massive failures and turn them into earth-shaking victories. How does He do it? 

He redeems. 

Redemption is to take something that has little worth and make it quite valuable. But it requires us to have faith in God's love for us, no matter how grim our situation is. Hold onto His promises. We can't rely on gossip, whether good or bad. Instead, confide in just one or two Godly friends who will encourage us. People talk, but only God does the redeeming. 

Prayer:
Send encouragers, Lord, because we want to endure gracefully as we await Your redemption. Amen.