Story Story

"Bring her out and have her burned to death!" 

This was Judah's statement after hearing that his daughter-in-law, Tamar, who was a widow, had turned to prostitution and was pregnant. A very astonishing statement, if you asked me. 

 Till this day, I wonder why he was so quick to pronounce judgement like that? Why had he so quickly forgotten that he was not much different from her?

Let me give you guys the back story. Three months earlier, Judah, had gone to Timnah to meet his sheep shearers. There he met a veiled 'harlot', in his mind, he thought he was far from home and like they say, "what happens in Rome, stays in Rome" This was his 'Rome' for now, so throwing caution to the wind, he went in to sleep with this harlot, who unknowingly to him was his widowed daughter-in-law.

And because he brought nothing to give her as payment...(of course he was unprepared)

She asked him, "What will you give me?" and he replied, "I will send you a goat from the flock" 

She asked again, "Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?" And he asked her, "What pledge do you want me to give?"

She was ready for this, knowing fully well, who she was dealing with... So she said, "I will have your signet, your bracelets and your staff" 

Too many things for a pledge, you wonder? Well, Judah didn't think so because he gave it all to her. (🤨Which makes me wonder, what lengths men would really go to have their way, when it comes to sex🤔)

After the deed was done, Judah went his way, but of course as agreed, he sent the goat to the harlot, so he could have his belongings back, but no harlot was found there, the men of the area testified that there was no harlot there. So, Judah decided to let it be, to prevent shame.

Fast forward to the present, three months later, news was brought to Judah, "Your daughter-in-law has played the harlot and is now with child by harlotry" 

And guess what was Judah's immediate reply, no questions asked.... "BRING HER OUT, AND HAVE HER BURNED TO DEATH!"

Ah ahh Judah, Why have You so quickly forgotten that you're not much different from her?

Have you forgotten? "Let he who is without sin, be the first to cast a stone."

Makes me remember David, this was the same way David pronounced judgement on the rich man who had taken and killed a poor man's only animal in Nathan's story. "HE MUST BE KILLED" was what David said without even considering that he was not a better man, or better still, that he was THAT man.

Why is it so hard to look back on where we are coming from and see God's mercy at work, but more importantly, to be able to extend that mercy to those who are now in the place where we used to be? I mean, when I was in sin, I dwelt in it! Maybe I did not commit murder, but it's not because I was immune from it, I could have done it in the long run. Maybe I wasn't going around sleeping with boys, but it could very well have become my story as time went on. Again, maybe I didn't do some things that generally would be seen as wild and deeply evil, but I did my own kind of evil, I sinned! 

Why should I find it hard to believe that God is merciful to sinners? It's a state I was once in, and I'm out of it, only because of MERCY.

God is immensely merciful, unexplainably merciful. I pray not to receive God's mercy in vain, when I can't extend it to others.

Prayer: Lord, please give me a heart like yours. A compassionate heart, always remembering that I am not better than any man. That if it wasn't for GRACE I would be in their state too. Make me capable at all times to extend that Grace to others around me. Amen.