Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.So there is one son, Ham, that really did something wrong. It was so bad that Noah cursed Ham's son, Canaan, and all his descendants for all time. I did a bit of research on it, and almost all of the options for interpretation are fairly disgusting. This link goes to a short summary, if you're inclined.
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”
I'm interested in what the other two brothers did. I think they could have gone straight in with their eyes closed, but instead they walked in backwards. I think they did this to show without a doubt that they respected their father. It wasn't only about what they needed to do, it was also about how they looked.
It's very easy to be self-righteous and say to myself, "I don't really care how things look, I'm doing what God wants." To really be pure in heart, I have to consider how I might be perceived.
Paul wrote about this regarding food: All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
God, help me to see as others see. Help me to have motives that are truly pure.
Saturdays | Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
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