From Bitter to Better by Debby Thompson

Heartache can make us bitter or better. In the Book of Ruth, we see that Naomi was bitter, but Ruth chose to model a contented and submissive spirit of trust in the Lord and in others. The result--God's blessings and the healing of Naomi's heart.

Luke 10 tells us that as Jesus preached, He came to the village of Lazarus and his sisters. Verses 38 and 39 state that one sister was "named Martha", while the other was "called Mary". The implication is that "Mary" was what the people called her because of her character. "Mary" was derived from the Hebrew word "Miriam" or "Mara", which means "bitter." She must have been very bitter before she met Jesus, but when He spoke to her, Mary sat down at Jesus' feet, drinking in every word. Later on, when Jesus knowingly let Lazarus die without healing him, Mary did not become bitter. She had learned to trust Jesus' love through His words. As He raised Lazarus, He said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." This Easter we can let Jesus raise us up to a better life--and submissive attitudes--in Him.