Exposed, Yet Safe

As we have studied Genesis this fall I got stuck on the story of Noah and his sons. Not the most renowned chapters pertaining to the flood and the ark, but the account of this family following their return to life on land. In Genesis 9:18-27 we learn that once settled, Noah tried his hand at farming. He plants and harvests a vineyard and from the fruit of his labour discovers – and perhaps initiates – the art of wine making. One day he does some ‘extreme’ wine tasting which leads to Noah’s spiral in to an intoxicated state of drunkenness, and lies naked in his tent. His youngest son Ham enters Noah’s tent and finds his dad in this disturbing and exposed situation. Without doing anything to help his father’s circumstances, Ham walks out and shares what he has just seen with his older brothers Shem and Japheth. Without hesitation the older brothers drape a robe over their shoulders, walk backwards into Noah’s tent, and cover their father’s nakedness, not allowing their eyes to fall upon Noah’s exposed, weak and vulnerable state. When Noah awoke from his stupor and learns of Ham’s actions, he curses Ham’s offspring, bestowing a sentence of judgement upon them.

As I prayerfully thought through this text my mind was drawn to each of the four characters: Noah, Ham, and the older brothers, and I found myself relating to all four of them.

I have been in Noah’s circumstances in that there have been times when I have figuratively been vulnerable, exposed and weak before others. Times when I have willingly bared my soul, my past, thoughts, or fears with another and they in turn have left my presence and shared it with other people. As a result I have felt judged, betrayed and exploited in the process.

Sadly I can also relate to Ham where I have been the one who has been entrusted with an intimate moment in another’s life and did not steward it well. I have done nothing to help them but rather I too have left the scene and shared inappropriate information with others, violating trust. Their openness and rawness was not safe in my presence. How I regret and repent over my unloving and ungracious actions.
Like the brothers, I have been the third party, where confidential information has been divulged to me about someone. The question is what was my response? Did I eagerly participate in the conversation or did I instead do what I could to honour and respect, defend and cover, guard and protect the other person? While my desire is to follow the example of the Shem and Japheth, I know that hasn’t always been the case.

As I pondered this text I realized how extremely damaging this can be. Whenever we choose to replicate Ham’s actions, a wall of relational distrust is built amongst us. Overtime we learn it is not safe to expose ourselves, to be raw or vulnerable with others. We avoid entering in to community for fear of being wounded, yet again. We live isolated, masked and at arm’s length to others. As a result we miss out on authentic, deep and real community – the very essence of what God created us to enjoy and thrive within.

Dear Lord Jesus, from this day forward may our words, thoughts and actions prove that we can be trusted and that others are safe in, and out, of our presence. Heal us from past relational hurts and enable us to risk and trust again. Convict us when we are tempted to violate this principle. Amen.