Ruth’s Story Is Our Story

By Lauren Green

As one of our group members was reflecting on our study of the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, in connection to current situations in our lives, and in our world, she mentioned women in her family that she could think of that made sacrifices to ensure the survival of their family. This made me think of my own mother, and also step-father.

My mother gave birth to me without the support of my father, and made a very conscious choice to raise me as a single mother. In addition, she is a disabled woman who only has the use of one arm, so this only adds to the complication. My mother sacrificed day in and out, working in a job that was mentally abusive to try and put food on our table, a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs. However, financially it was not enough, so she was forced to use credit cards to provide for us, causing her to be in significant debt. And though she had the financial resource of credit cards, it was a way that continued to keep us in poverty. My mother was wise like Naomi, in that she knew ways to subvert the system to get what we needed, and she was also like Ruth, in that she was willing to sacrifice herself to make a better life for her family.

And then Boaz came into our lives—he was known to us as Donald. He is a caring man, who, though he did not have the power and money that Boaz did, he was willing to give of himself to make a better life for his family, including my mother and I. He showed his love for us by caring and providing for us through struggles, like Boaz did with Ruth and Naomi.

Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz, stood in solidarity with each other to organize a way to provide for their needs, just as families in our country, including my own, continue this tradition each day. A saying exists among our group, “You only get what you are organized to take”, and I think this saying epitomizes this Biblical story, as well as stories of poor families everywhere—by organizing and standing in solidarity with each other, everyone’s humans rights will be met.