Dont Call Me Naomi

At a glance, the book of Ruth is about a young woman who triumphs over tragedy and transitions through many trials to become one in the line of ancestors of Jesus Christ. But you first meet Naomi whose life’s circumstances and situations leave her feeling bitter. So much so that she attempts to change her name to fit her feelings. Naomi’s name means Pleasant, so with the statement “Don’t call me Naomi, call me Mara” she attempts to identify with her pain, as Mara means bitter.

The stories of these two women are not much different than some of our own, but changing our identities will not change our destinies. By paralleling the stories of these two women with my own as well as some familiar to you, Don’t Call Me Naomi shows how together through love; relations, restoration and redemption are all possible.