Lesson One • Rooted
Devotion #2: Who Do You Show You Are?
Pastor Ferdinand Sanders
Excuse me while I nerd out for a moment, but I believe that “The Dark Knight” trilogy is one of the best movie trilogies of all time. Not only is it Batman, but you have the iconic villains as well. It is all elevated by the work of Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer. The Joker, who is arguably one of the most iconic villains out there, is a pure agent of chaos. To put it simply, one of the Joker’s main tactics is to push people past the limits of their comfort zone. Within “The Dark Knight,” he gives one of his iconic quotes, “You see, in their last moments people show you who they really are.” This may seem like a bit of a roundabout way to start this devotional, but oddly enough I think it leads quite well into Ruth chapter 1.
The book of Ruth opens up in the midst of famine, a less-than-ideal situation. Within the opening verses, we learn that Naomi had not only recently lost her husband, but had also just lost both her sons. With all of this death and tragedy, Naomi was convinced that she was being punished by God for her disobedience. Has life’s circumstances ever had you wondering if you were being punished by God?
At a time when it seemed that her world was falling apart at her hands, Naomi identified her faults and leaned into seeking God’s forgiveness. She was not running from it. Naomi’s daughter-in-law, Ruth (who also just lost her husband), commits to staying with Naomi and heading back to Bethlehem by saying, “For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). This is significant because Ruth was leaving her “people” the Moabites, their gods, and their way of life to stick by family and follow Naomi back to the God of Israel.
So, who are you really in the face of trials or adversity? What do those around you or closest to you see when you are faced with trials or adversity? That can be an extremely convicting question, but it is a good reminder that, as Christians, everything we say or do represents Christ. Naomi’s commitment to the Lord and Ruth’s commitment to Naomi during these hard times are a great encouragement and reminder for us today. In your moments of pain, loss, confusion, and chaos, would others be drawn to Christ through it?