Secrets

I’m pretty sure everyone has secrets. I’ve learned the value in not telling everything I know to everyone I meet. In fact there are times that something I’ve learned or something I know can hurt a lot of people if it were to become public. My mom used to say: “You can be sure your sins will find you out”. This was a word of caution prior to acting on impulse. I live in a pretty small town and there are lots of so-called secrets that have leaked out. It can be rather embarrassing that the people who think they are being so clever and sneaky have actually not been as discreet as they thought.

I am a bit stunned by the story of Tamar and the dealings she had with Judah and his sons. In the Old Testament culture, if a woman’s husband died, she was given his brother to carry on the family name. This was a common practice and tradition. When Judah’s first born son was so wicked that the Lord struck him down, she was given to the next son in line. He was wicked in the eyes of the Lord so he died as well. She was told to wait for the youngest son to grow up. She waited but nothing happened – I think because Judah realized that the common denominator in both his son’s deaths was this woman, Tamar.

She dresses up like a prostitute and covers her face with a veil because she learned that her father-in-law, Judah, was coming to town. He had spent months of grieving is own wife’s death. He sees this woman at the gate and makes his move. She knows exactly what she is doing, but he doesn’t have a clue the true implications of his actions. Before she allows him to sleep with her she negotiates for him to bring her a young goat. Since he doesn’t have it with him, he gives her his seal, his staff and his cords. This sounds like a soap opera. Check this out…

24 About three months later Judah was told, ‘Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.’

Judah said, ‘Bring her out and let her be burned to death!’

25 As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. ‘I am pregnant by the man who owns these,’ she said. And she added, ‘See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.’

26 Judah recognized them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.’ And he did not sleep with her again. (Genesis 38:24-26 NIV)

The truth seems to have a way of making it’s way out. It can’t be kept concealed forever. One of the most common secret that people try to keep is relationships that unfold outside the boundary of marriage. There have been numerous secret relationships revealed by pregnancy. I believe that the true content of a person’s character is also revealed once the sin is exposed. I believe everyone is a sinner, the only difference is some are saved by the Grace of God and others have blown Him off. I believe that we should own our sin instead of run from it or hide. Obviously, we should avoid the trap of sin to begin with, but when we sin, we should repent and confess. Some secrets are so big and explosive, they are hard to keep a secret.

Pressing On!

Dwayne