Community Class BLog

The purpose of this blog is to generate discussion and careful thoughts around the text from our Southside Baptist Church Sunday morning Community Class.  I typically read the lesson on Wednesday and journal throughout the week.  My journaling is free flowing thoughts.  What speaks to me?  What others say from Sunday morning Community class resonates?  Also, some random Google search, “what does this mean”? 

The Text:  Ruth 1:6-19 MSG

“One day she got herself together, she and her two daughters-in-law, to leave the country of Moab and set out for home; she had heard that God had been pleased to visit his people and give them food. And so she started out from the place she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law with her, on the road back to the land of Judah. After a short while on the road, Naomi told her two daughters-in-law, “Go back. Go home and live with your mothers. And may God treat you as graciously as you treated your deceased husbands and me. May God give each of you a new home and a new husband!” She kissed them and they cried openly. They said, “No, we’re going on with you to your people.” But Naomi was firm: “Go back, my dear daughters. Why would you come with me? Do you suppose I still have sons in my womb who can become your future husbands? Go back, dear daughters—on your way, please! I’m too old to get a husband. Why, even if I said, ‘There’s still hope!’ and this very night got a man and had sons, can you imagine being satisfied to wait until they were grown? Would you wait that long to get married again? No, dear daughters; this is a bitter pill for me to swallow—more bitter for me than for you. God has dealt me a hard blow.” Again they cried openly. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye; but Ruth embraced her and held on. Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back home to live with her own people and gods; go with her.” But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!” When Naomi saw that Ruth had her heart set on going with her, she gave in. And so the two of them traveled on together to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem the whole town was soon buzzing: “Is this really our Naomi? And after all this time!””

Crazy Man Ramblings

Let me say from the outset here.  The biblical heroes are usually male.  But tucked away are stories of bad ass women, such as Ruth, Naomi, Orpah, the Mary’s, Esther, Deborah, Eve, Rachel, Jezebel, and Miriam.  Women stories speck to this queer man brought up in the bible belt. 

The author of the “Formations” literature focuses on the loyalty of the Naomi, Ruth and Orpah.  There is for sure a loyalty story here and a love story.   What resonated with me was grief, pain, and trauma. 

For this neurotic guy to wrap your head around the book of Ruth, I had to read all 6 chapters.  (The patriarchy always gives the women in the bible short chapters.  I think Paul got more). Men wrote the bible, and they tended to portray women as conniving and loose.  If you read all this Novella these women are not victims.  They played the patriarchy. 

Ruth and her husband Elimelech lived in Bethlehem aka Judah.  They had two sons, Mahlon and Kilion.  A famine crushes Bethlehem.  Elimelech died.  Ruth was left with her two sons.  So, they relocated to Moab.  A weird choice considering the Moabites and Israel didn’t like each other.  It started with Israel’s domination of Moabites during the administration of King David, Solomon and some other king I’ve never heard, King Omri.  Let’s just say some bad blood.  Or Hatfield’s and McCoy’s.  Or some other southern gothic tragic family feud.   

Anyway, Ruth, grieving the loss of her dead husband relocates to Moab.  I can’t imagine what that was like.  Leaving the community that you know and love. This single mom with two sons in tow leaves her community.  She goes back to her homeland, Judah.   

The sons marry Moabite women, Ruth, and Oprah.  They live there 10 years.  We don’t know how it was for 10 years for this family.  I imagine that they built a chosen family.  Then tragedy strikes again.  Naomi’s two sons die.  Once again, Naomi is left grieving, not only her dead husband, but her two sons.  Naomi did not have a man.  In ancient times, women’s ability to survive was tied to a man. 

Naomi decides to go back to Judah, her home.  She starts out with her daughter in-laws, Ruth and Oprah.  Along the ways she has a change of thought and tells them to stay in Moab.  Neither are having it.  Oprah does finally stay.  No judgement here from Naomi.  We all have made choices to leave someone we love.  

Ruth gives the wherever you go, I will go speech.  I am not going to focus on this cute sentimental aspect of the story.  I know Ruth was sincere.  However, there is a lot of grief, pain and trauma going on with these grief-stricken women. Naomi and Ruth loved each other.  I believe they couldn’t imagine a life without each other.  

So, Naomi and Ruth “the foreigner” arrive in Judah.  Naomi changed her name for a minute in Judah.  “Don’t call me Naomi, call me Bitter.  The Strong One has dealt me a bitter blow.  I am left here with nothing but the clothes on my back. The strong one has ruined me.”  

If we and I are honest, we have all felt ruined by “The Strong One”.  Maybe it is a betrayal by a spouse you didn’t see coming. A health diagnosis that says you are going to die, and there is   no cure.  Maybe the only church community you’ve known, turns their back on you when you come out queer or worse trans.  

Ruth and Naomi’s story ended like a Hallmark Movie.  I encourage you to read the rest of Ruth.  (Let’s have some suspense and drama here).  I would dare say most of our stories don’t turn out sugar plum and Hallmark movies.  (I hate those movies). 

What I’m left with is how do we I  deal with it when it doesn’t work out?  So maybe my story or your story doesn’t end like Naomi and Ruth.  I believe that God, Jesus, Father, Mother and Spirit is  with us and me in every awful, painful and surprising circumstance.  Maybe in my and our grief, pain and trauma we can let go of my desire to control and know it may work out or not. 

“But here’s the thing: To be present to suffering and to touch the suffering with love, that it might dissolve in love, means to be grounded in the peace that is not dependent on the outcome of the effort because, regardless of how it turns out, God is unexplainably taking us to God, breath by breath, moment by moment. That’s mystical nonviolence.” (James Finley, “The Mystical Foundations of Nonviolence.)”