Week 20: You Are More Than

This Week's Motivating Christian Moment is coming to you from my Sister, Charryse Wright!

Ruth 1: 6-10 & 16 &17 (NRSV)

Title: You Are More Than…

            The book of Ruth is a captivating love story; an undeniable and inspiring love story between Ruth and Naomi, a motivating and life-changing love story between Ruth and Boaz and I would even argue a life-giving and restoring love story between Naomi and her homeland of Bethlehem in Judah. You see Naomi, in her struggle was determined to get to what was familiar and comfortable to her, to a place and people that would not judge or criticize her but, support and uplift her while she grieved and tried to find her way.  And that is why on this beautiful Mother’s Day Sunday morning, I came to briefly talk with about about the lovely Naomi. 

Motherhood is a blessing and I want to recognize all the beautiful mother’s in the room on this Mother’s Day.  Your undying love, unwavering motivation and support, compassion and concern have shaped your children into the wonderful people they are today.  So, I salute and thank you for all that you do and have done every day. While I recognize that this is the day we set aside to honor our mothers, will you please indulge me while I add another group of women into this category. 

            This category is for those women who pray for us, support and encourage us, empower us, protect us, walk silently besides, behind and in front of us, laugh with us, cry with us, keep the secrets and cover up the bones with us. We aren’t their children but their love for us is as fiercely powerful, as any mother’s love could be. 

            In this brief amount of time that I have had the pleasure of training, growing, loving and being loved at Bethel AME, there have been a few women who have embodied one or more of these characteristics in not only my role as a seminarian, but in my life as a woman.  I have been able to take some of your characteristics and shape me into a better mother, friend, sister, daughter, preacher, student and woman of God.  The grace and wisdom of Rev. Felicia, the prayers, laughter and tears of Ms. Janine, the wit and no holds barred approach to life of Mrs. Maxine, the commitment and loyalty of Ms. Dottie, my three bible study sisters the humor and heart of Ms. Estelle, the cool, calm and approachable Ms. Regina and the classy, grace of Ms. Pauline have provided nurture, support and love to me while on my journey. In essence, you each have become a Naomi to my Ruth.

So who is Naomi…In this story, Naomi originally from Bethlehem, was living in Moab with her husband Elimelech and their sons Mahlon and Chilion, after their homeland was stricken with famine.  Elimelech dies due to unknown causes.  Naomi is now left with her two sons Mahlon and Chilion, who marry two Moabite girls named Orpah and Ruth.  Approximately 10 years later, Naomi loses her two sons. She is now not only a widow but also a childless mother.

            I would argue that she is grief-stricken. She has lost everything; first her husband, protector, confidant and provider and now, not one but both of her sons, who would have taken on the responsibility of caring for their mother in the absence of their father.  She must feel alone, afraid, confused and angry. She has gone from being a cared for, secure and comfortable woman to one who is destitute.  She has no foreseeable income or method to make any money. She is unable to take care of herself, much less the two daughters-in-law who are left in the exact same position as she is. 

And this is where our text starts.  Naomi decides to move back home to Bethlehem in Judah, because she has heard that the Lord had made provisions for His people there.  So she sets off from Moab to the land of Judah with Orpah and Ruth.  Naomi’s name means pleasantness of Jehovah and I would assume that she is an amazingly kind and joyful woman with a gentle and loving spirit.  I mean why else would these two young women leave their own family, future and security to follow Naomi: her sons are deceased, she has no money, no means to provide for them and they are leaving what’s comfortable and familiar to them to head into an unfamiliar territory.

Think about that for a minute. Orpah and Ruth are now young and beautiful widows that have no legal or biological connection to Naomi, but are willing to leave their biological family, community and future to follow an old, grieving and broke woman into a foreign land.  To be honest, I don’t think I could do that.  My questions would be what we gon’ eat? Where we gon’ sleep? Where we getting money? Who gon’ to take care of us?  Questions that I believe plagued Naomi as well. Naomi has no money. Naomi has no food. Naomi has no home. Naomi has no job. Naomi has no prospects.  Therefore, Naomi told them to return home and Orpah and Ruth told her in verse 10, “ No, we will return with you to your people.”  What Orpah and Ruth were saying in their NO is, Naomi, You are more than money. Naomi, you are more than food. Naomi, you are more than a home. Naomi, you are more than a job. Naomi, you are more than any prospects.  We will give it all up to be with you. 

You don’t give it all up for a monster-in-law.  You don’t give it all up for just anybody.  I would even argue that they themselves are unsure of why they are so passionately willing to go against that which is logical. Orpah and Ruth are giving up family, food, security and comfort to walk into the unknown, to walk into the unfamiliar. They don’t know if they will even make it to their destination or what will be on the other side but they are still are willing to go.  That is a faith connection instilled for a Godly purpose. That is a faith connection inspired by a divine love.

            God sends us women at all ages and stages of life to connect to that which will strengthen our connection to Him. Women who may feel like they are old, or have no money, failing health, no education and have nothing to offer but I came by to tell the Naomi’s in the room that you are

o   You are more than your age.

o   You are more than the money in your bank account.

o   You are more than what your body feels, or the doctor says.

o   You are more than your educational standing.

o   YOU are the Naomi to someone’s Ruth. 

You are her support. You help her believe in herself. You help her love the curves the world says are too big. You help her love the melanin skin society tells her is too dark or too ugly.  You help her feel proud in the curly kinks that grow from her scalp. Your wisdom inspires her to reach for the moon and grab a couple of stars too.   When she sees you she sees beauty, wisdom, strength and LOVE.  When she sees you she sees the LOVE of God. 

           

The text tells us that Orpah eventually returned home to Moab, but Ruth stayed on the journey. This is a reminder that everyone we encounter is not meant to travel the journey with us.  Don’t take it personal. Continue allowing God to use you and being the example for those on the journey. 

With that said, that which radiates from Naomi and attracts Ruth is her love of God. I believe that Ruth did not even understand what she was so attracted too, but she knew that it was a connection that she could not bear to live without. And Ruth expresses that in one of the most inspiring examples of love in verses 16 & 17 “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you!  Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

17 Where you die, I will die—there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!”

            I won’t you to really think about this for a second, because this is a serious love that Ruth has for Naomi. That is a divine love and connection.

o   She said, where you lodge I will lodge, but wait, Naomi doesn’t even have a place to lodge. 

o   She said, your people will be my people, but wait, what if Naomi’s people are crazy. You all know how someone of these in-laws are.

o   She said, your God will be my God, but wait she doesn’t even know the God Naomi serves.  The fact that Ruth is willing to serve and love a God that she doesn’t know is because of the example that Naomi showed her. 

o   That God thing was always deep to me but then she went even further and said may the Lord do whatever to me, IF EVEN DEATH SEPARATES ME FROM YOU. Girl, you would take God’s punishment if you were separated while you are dead.  That’s a divine love and connection.

            Naomi must have been amazing. While Naomi was going through she renamed herself Mara, which means bitter, but while she felt God was dealing with her harshly her behavior didn’t represent that.  The reason I believe that is because if Naomi was behaving bitterly, they would not have followed her.  I do not believe they would have followed a bitter Naomi into the unknown, when they have family, community and security in what they know.  This is a prime example of why as Christians it is very important that we are cognizant of our words, behavior and actions, because we never know who is watching and waiting to follow.  We don’t want to develop that bitter mentality; you know the Angry, Mean and Evil folks that walk around looking like they are sucking a lemon. While it is hard, we must remain like Naomi pleasant in spirit, even when we feel life and/or God is dealing with us harshly; because we never know when God is using us to walk someone through the unfamiliar to get to Him.

            Had Naomi’s behavior been bitter, Ruth would not have followed her. And as the story goes, because of Ruth’s commitment to follow a pleasant Naomi into the wilderness, she met and married Boaz and had a son name Obed. Obed had a son named Jesse.  Jesse had a son name David, who would later be King. King David had a son named Solomon. Solomon had a son named Rehoboam. Rehoboam had a son named Abijah. Abijah had a son Asa. Asa had a son named Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat had a son named Jehoram. Jehoran had a son Uzziah. Uzziah had a son name Jotham.  Jotham had a son named Ahaz. Ahaz had a son named Hezekiah. Hezekiah had a son name Manasseh. Manasseh had a son Amon. Amon had a son named Josiah. Josiah had a son Jeconiah. Jeconiah had a son named Shealtiel. Shealtiel had a son Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel had a son named Abihud. Abihud had a son name Eliakim. Eliakim had a son named Azor. Azor had a son named Zadok. Zadok had a son named Akim. Akim had a son named Elihud. Elihud had a son named Eleazar.  Eleazar had a son named Matthan. Matthan had a son named Jacob. Jacob had a son named Joseph. Joseph was married to the Virgin Mary and God’s chosen paternal figure for His Son Jesus, who is our Lord and Savior. We are gathered in this place today, because Ruth followed a pleasant Naomi into the wilderness and fulfilled her purpose to ensure God’s greatest to us was born. 

            God has a purpose for each one of us and it was formed before we were even that twinkle in our parent’s eyes…come let me show you.

Obed was the son of Boaz and Ruth. Boaz was the son of Salmon and Rahab. Salmon was the son of Nahshon. Nahshon was the son of Amminadab. Amminadab was the son of Ram. Ram was the son of Hezron. Hezron was the son of Perez. Perez was the son Judah and Tamar. Judah is the son of Jacob. Jacob is the son of Isaac. Isaac is the son of Abraham. Abraham is the son of Terah and who God made the covenant that all his generations be blessed. Terah is the son of Nahor. Nahor is the son of Serug. Serug is the son of Reu. Reu is the son of Peleg. Peleg is the son of Eber. Eber is the son of Shelah. Shelah is the son of Cainan. Cainan is the son of Arphaxad. Arphaxad is the son of Shem. Shem is the son of Noah. Noah is the son Lamech. Lamech is the Methuselah. Methuselah is the of Enoch. Enoch is the son of Jared. Jared is the son of Mahalalel. Mahalalel is the son of Kenan. Kenan is the son of Enosh. Enosh is the son of Seth. Seth is the son of Adam and Adam was the son of God.

God picked you, before your momma picked your daddy. And no matter what you do or say, God has purposed you to be connected to someone else, just like God did for Naomi and Ruth.

            My question for today- As we self-reflect has our pleasant or bitter behavior influenced someone’s decision to follow us into the wilderness to meet our God? 

Consequently, as God has sent Naomi for Ruth, God also sent Ruth for Naomi, because He never forgets us. In this context because Naomi is older and more seasoned in life, I would argue she is unable to move as she once did. While her mind remains sharp as a stack and her spirit is strong as an ox, her body does not move as it once did. I believe on this journey to Judah, they moved slowly while Naomi dropped tad bits of wisdom into Ruth’s spirit and they probably laughed loudly when Naomi cracked silly jokes. Ruth keeps Naomi’s heart and mind young. Ruth reminds Naomi that she has much to offer while Naomi inspires Ruth with her wisdom, joyful and loving spirit. 

I came to tell the Ruth’s in the building that while you may feel inexperienced, have no education, no money, no job, no prospects that you are more than…

o   You are more than your age and experience.

o   You are more than your educational training.

o   You are more than the money in your bank account.

o   You are more than any potential prospects.

o   YOU are the Ruth to someone’s Naomi.

That which radiates from Ruth and attracts Naomi is hope.  I believe Naomi didn’t even understand what she was attracted too, but she knew it was a connection that needed to live. Both Naomi and Ruth had lost everything. Naomi both of her sons, one who was Ruth’s husband, her own husband, their quality of life, their homes, their income and they felt they were left with nothing. Even in experiencing these life situations that had left a bitter taste in their mouth, God showed up to let them know you have NOT lost everything, because my dear wise Naomi, I have brought you HOPE in the form of a young Moabite woman named Ruth and my dear naïve Ruth, I have brought you the ability to experience MY LOVE in a seasoned woman named Naomi.

           

At different stages we all play the role of teacher and student; therefore, we all have a bit of Naomi and Ruth in us, which shows up is dependent upon what God needs from us in that moment.  We all have experiences that have shaped us and those experiences are not meant to be kept to ourselves, because our Ruth or Naomi is calling us to stand beside her not only as she walks through the wilderness, but while she celebrates her mountaintops. You may feel you have nothing to offer anyone but trust me your nothing is something to someone else.

           

God uses flawed people in a flawed world for His good.  You are worthy!  God is using you as an example of hope.  Ruth was willing to leave all that she knew to follow Naomi into the unfamiliar.   I believe Ruth reminded Naomi to never give up, because if I am following you, I am hopeful that while this is bad it will get better.  As Ruth, we are the reminder that no matter how bad it gets we will never give up because God is our hope in the wilderness.

           

God uses flawed people in a flawed world for His good.  You are worthy! God is using you as an example of God’s love for someone who feels like they can’t make it through whatever life has thrown their way.  Naomi felt like she had nothing, but when she wanted to give up Ruth reminded her I am here, following you to your God. The way Naomi lived, talked and walked was the example that made Ruth want to serve Her God. As Naomi we are the living and breathing example of God’s love for us in a flawed world.

           

As I close, I want to thank all the Naomi’s and Ruth’s in the room. Whichever role you play, you are instrumental in the connection to God and life of someone else. You may feel like I don’t have this or that, but God equipped you for this and that.

Because to God you are more valuable than a flock of sparrows.

o   You are worth more than silver and gold.

o   You are more than your diagnosis.

o   You are more than the neighborhood you live in.

o   You are more than your mode of transportation.

o   You are more than the placement of the comma in your bank account.

o   You are more than the absence of the comma in your bank account.

o   You are more than the label on your clothes or in your shoes.

o   You are more than your relationship status.

o   You are more than what the enemy whispers in your ear late at night.

o   You are more than a conqueror. 

And thanks be unto God because you are more than because you are made in the image of the Great I AM.