Week 37: The Pledge of Allegiance

Scripture: Ruth 1:16-17 NRSV
But Ruth said:
“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.
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!”

The Pledge of Allegiance
 Read these words:
I pledge Allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.
As a child, I recited these words five days a week, as a simple matter of morning routine. I had no idea what this pledge really meant, nor was I ever told. I did this pledge out of obedience for authority. We teach our children to live into the idea of allegiance to a flag of which they often do not understand themselves. What five-year-old do you know that knows the fullness of the Pledge of Allegiance? There are some adults who do not fully comprehend what it means. This, for me, is living proof that there are certain things that we all pledge our allegiances to, whether we know the fullness of what it entails. The truth of the matter is that we often give away our allegiance to things that are not worthy of it. Our allegiances could be based upon geographical locations (gangs). Our allegiances could be based upon interests in specific social structures (church, fraternities/sororities, social clubs and etc.) Our allegiances could be based on what someone has provided for us. Our allegiances could be aligned to charity and causes that seem underserved. Our allegiances could simply be to people who look like us. Our allegiance could be to our country. Instead of continuing this laundry list of possible allegiances, consider: What is your allegiance pledged to?
While this question may be difficult to answer, it is important to consider, as it will reveal to us our own true values. Though this may be something that we are aware of, we often don’t see the value of our own allegiance. We share our allegiance by being present, standing alongside certain ideas and speaking on behalf of some people, places, and things. How do we do this? We show up to places where we shouldn’t be. We talk about people and ideas that we shouldn’t discuss. We join in on the rants of other people, even though we don't have an issue with what is being discussed. We pledge our allegiance to anyone who seems to have some sense of commonality or is of our interest. Our allegiance is our ability to show what we truly value in society and if we give our allegiance away too freely, we show that we don’t have much value after all. This is the issue within our society, because we are willing to give allegiance to gain popularity. Allegiance doesn’t always yield an immediate return. Sometimes, allegiances could cause you to be extremely uncomfortable.
An example of this is the recent rise in popularity in Nike, based on their support and endorsement of Colin Kapernick. Kapernick, a former NFL player, rose to the public eye in 2016, when he chose to kneel during the National Anthem, due to his realization that the anthem didn’t see him (or the community that looks like him) as people whom this nation honored. This was in response to the rising amount of Blacks being murdered by Police Officers throughout the United States, and the majority led to no-indictments. Kapernick’s actions started a revolution throughout the country which caused has now caused him to be a Free-Agent, that no team owner or coach wanted on their team. He has been ridiculed, ostracized and outright disrespect for the sitting-president on down to fans in diverse places. He has since been endorsed by Nike and has been featured in their most recent ad. As a result, people have been burning items that they have already purchased from Nike, which is a senseless act of regret, that doesn’t settle the issue at hand. But if your Sundays (or Mondays) aren’t filled with football or if your love for football is coupled with a love for Church, I have another example of this, just for you.
Another example of this has been brewing in the most recent Black Church Gossip. Over the course of the past month, many people in the Black Church have revealed where their allegiance is. 20 African-American and Hispanic pastors gathered around a table with the 45th president of the United States, to discuss the topic of prison reform. While this meeting seemingly served as an opportunity for photo-ops, it also taught us where many of the individual Black Churches stand on the issue of our current president. Many pastors publicly discussed their disgust with President Trump being named “the most Pro-Black President” to serve in some of our lifetimes. While this was taking place, some people began Fanning the flame simply because their favorite preachers we’re on one or the other side of this issue. No matter which side your favorite preachers are on, we must realize that our primary Allegiance needs to be to God, and God Alone. But if there is a biblical passage that could express the way in which we give our allegiances away, I can find no better case-study than Ruth and Naomi.
I know that it may be unclear but the issue of allegiance in today’s text is not Ruth but it is Naomi. Naomi has given her allegiance to two people, Ruth and Orpah, by allowing them to journey alongside her through one of the hardest seasons of her life. Chapter 1 of the book of Ruth begins with their journey from Moab back to Bethlehem. This journey was taking place because the three of them had become a trio of Widows. Naomi was a widow and the mother of both Orpah’s and Ruth’s husbands. Naomi was dependent on her sons to provide for her and they did that faithfully until the days of their death. Suddenly, Naomi has lost both of her avenues of financial security. On top of that, Orpah and Ruth lose their husbands and are without someone to provide for them. All three of them have set into the reality that all they have is each other. The reason why we often pledge our allegiance to something is that we are the widow of our prior allegiance. Whether or not there is an actual death, there is a relationship that is severed which causes an interest in pledging yourself to something (or someone) else. But the question becomes, what were you originally pledging your allegiance to? Was it in the will of God for your life? Was it good for you? Did it work out for you? Did it stress you out? Did it keep you up at night? What were you pledged to? Some of us will find ourselves pledging our Allegiance to some unhealthy things simply to fill the void of an allegiance that has died.

Ruth and Naomi found themselves in the middle of an uncomfortable place, without the resources to survive. Orpah realized that this burden was too much to bear and decided to take Naomi’s advice and go home. While Orpah takes the easy route, Ruth makes the decision to pledged her Allegiance to Naomi. Ruth makes the decision that it is better for her to follow Naomi into a land that is foreign to her rather than returning home to her place of comfort. Ruth vows to make herself uncomfortable because of her oath to Naomi, and her prior relationship with Naomi’s son. Ruth realized that though we say “Til Death Do Us Part”; the death of a spouse doesn’t truly sever the relationship. There are still memories and people attached to that allegiance. Ruth and Naomi’s relationship wasn’t going to end simply because the person who brought them together had died. Ruth was showing the definition of true loyalty, but the thing that we often miss in Chapter 1 is that like Ruth, Orpah had the same situation in front of her. This raises the question of character because if you only hold a vow to people who have something to offer, you in-turn are worthless. I can’t speak for anyone, but I don’t need any more Orpah’s walking alongside me; I only want Ruth in my corner. If I have a Ruth, I can survive in a wilderness season. If I have a Ruth, we’ll struggle together to get to our intended goal. I know Ruth won’t give up on me when the going gets tough. I know Yasmin, I mean Ruth, will work with me and not against. Don’t just look for a Ruth to pledge their allegiance to. If you’re going to pledge your allegiance, Be a Ruth, not an Orpah. 

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