An African American woman recalled this about her slave years: “I was grown when the [Civil] war came, but I was a mother before it closed. Babies snatched from the mother’s breast and sold to speculators. Children separated from sisters and brothers and never saw each other again. It’s bad to belong to folks that own your soul and body, that can tie you to a tree, with your face to the tree and your arms fastened tight around it; who take a long curly whip and cut the blood, every lick. That was the terrible part of living.” We find in the story of Ruth that her mother in law, Naomi, became a penniless and hopeless widow, but she was never as dire as African American slaves. Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons had moved to Moab to survive the famine in their homeland of Bethlehem. In Moab, misfortune struck. Naomi’s husband died. Her sons married Moabite women, but soon, both sons died. This left Naomi penniless and emotionally drained—like some people today. But since we know how this story ends, we can say, today may be Friday but Sunday is coming! For children of God, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
