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...