Wednesday, December 24, 2008

exposure vs. covering

it's important that we cover one another's weaknesses rather than we expose them...

Genesis 9:20And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. 22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

23But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness.

24So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him.
25Then he said:
"Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants
He shall be to his brethren."

26And he said:
"Blessed be the LORD,
The God of Shem,
And may Canaan be his servant.

27May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant."

it's easy in conversation to expose another's weaknesses to other people.... sometimes i wish i was more on the ball when i hear something that exposes someone, and i would say, 'hey, guys, we are supposed to cover one another's weaknesses, not expose them...".... i know i would want my conversation to be brought to my attention... i stand accountable.

you see, recently i learned something about someone that i really had no business knowing.... and it was brought up after the person in question had left premises.... it was about a person i don't know well and am certainly not privy to their life details, but the people who talked about this person had known them over the years and so had seen them in some of their weaker 'moments'.... and they proceeded to share with us some of this person's particular character flaws.

even in saying this i am taking pains in my how i am relating this so as to not expose anyone in this post.... i want to focus on the *heart attitude* behind this, that each and every one of us is predisposed to in our flesh nature, and not on any particular person.... so i am definitely not implying that i am pure and pristine in this area... becuase it's something i am painfully aware of and try hard to watch for in my own speech, for good reason - i recognize my own tendency toward fallability in that area, and as such am always examining my speech for 'exposure vs. covering'.... but that means i am also sensitive to hearing it come out of other's mouths... and i get a sense of .... grieving... when i hear it.

the verse i quoted above has stuck with me since the first time i read it: the one son saw noah drunk and naked, and told his brothers...EXPOSING his weakness.... (not even to strangers, but *just* his closest family, who many would say by that simple fact *makes* it their business to know).... and this son's SON was CURSED for it - not the son himself, but the grandson!!!.... whereas the two other brothers, after hearing it, went into the tent to COVER their father's nakedness, and would not even look on it, not even to 'see for themselves'... (i argue that in this they were refusing to acknowledge it - and that they probably never spoke of it again).... and they were BLESSED for it.

it behooves us (hows that for a word, eh?) to watch what we say about others, examining our speech - and our conscience -to see if it is exposing or if it is covering... and this not even for our own sake... we ourselves may not receive a 'curse' (but then again, we reap what we sow...), but for those to come... ie our words can affect them for generations to come.... it's simple: we teach our children - whether physical children or spiritual children that we are modelling the faith for - by our words and actions... by our example.

....and it's all the more... amplified... as an poor example when it comes from the mouths of those who are mature in the faith. the more mature we are, the more we are held accountable, is my conviction....

so... Lord, sensitize us in our speech in this area... every one of us. may we cover and build up one another, rather than expose and tear down another's reputation. and, as always, Lord... begin with me.

i feel such a grieving in my spirit over this tonight.... :'( .....*sighs*. i guess that's why i'm sitting here wrestling with it, writing it out, at 1 am, rather than sleeping...

2 comments:

  1. Here I'm sitting awake at 5am reading this and I'm so glad you said what has been on my mind a lot over the past while. I for one will say that I am totally guilty for "exposing" people's flaws rather than "covering". I know that the majority of us are. I too hear things that I'm not suppose to hear about others...even if its not a negative comment or whatever...but something that shouldn't be discussed period. I have noticed it more in the past while or so and it has really bothered me. I know I've done it...but it makes me think that if I'm hearing things that I shouldn't about others...then obviously things about me that shouldn't be shared, are in fact being shared and discussed. I have no proof or any hunches on anything...but you just know...you know? Its a hard to thing to bite our own tongues, let alone tell others to bite their's as well. Thankyou for your honesty and thoughts on this matter.

    Merry Christmas Lynne!

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  2. Certainly this is an important concept for us to get. Tearing down a house is always easier than building one. At he end of the day, we should try to see each other as Christ sees us; not through our shortcomings or sins, but washed and purchased with an incredible price.

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Outcast, Adopted.

THIS BLOG IS IN NEED OF AN OVERHAUL. there are posts from years back i would not be able to post in good conscience now. i plan to overhaul the blog, and either delete or add a disclaimer to those posts. but that is gonna take time....

The Radical Summons: "
Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come." Hebrews 13:13.

"The Spirit never loosens where the Word binds; the Spirit never justifies where the Word condemns; the Spirit never approves where the Word disapproves; the Spirit never blesses where the Word curses." —Thomas Brooks

‎"God receives none but those who are forsaken, restores health to none but those who are sick, gives sight to none but the blind, and life to none but the dead. He does not give saintliness to any but sinners, nor wisdom to any but fools. In short: He has mercy on none but the wretched and gives grace to none but those who are in disgrace. Therefore no arrogant saint, or just or wise man can be material for God, neither can he do the work of God, but he remains confined within his own work and makes of himself a fictitious, ostensible, false, and deceitful saint, that is, a hypocrite." --Martin Luther (W.A. 1.183ff)

i will not let You go: "Jacob's sense of his total debility and utter defeat is now the secret of his power with his friendly Vanquisher. God can overthrow all the prowess of the self-reliant, but He cannot resist the earnest entreaty of the helpless." --Albert Barnes

i will not let You go: "Jacob's determination did not flow from his strength, it flowed from his weakness." --Charles Leiter