There’s a story in the Bible about Noah that I forget about until I run across it again about once a year. It’s a story I think we should consider because it contains a great lesson. No, not the one about the flood.
This story involves Noah getting drunk and passing out naked. Scandalous I know. I’m pretty sure most of us are unfamiliar with it because they skip it in Sunday school and CCD! What makes this story surprisingly scandalous is that in Genesis chapter 8 the Bible stated Noah was a man who found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Huh? Which is it?
Today, it’s not really so much Noah I want to consider, it’s his sons. You see Noah had three sons and in this particular story of drunk Noah passing our naked in a cave, two of the three sons extended a mantle of love over their father and the third…well, he ended up cursed slave. As the saying goes, “That escalated quickly!”
A Mantle of Love
So the story goes, after Noah and his family get off the ark, and offer praise and sacrifice to God, Noah plants a vineyard. He drinks some of his wine and becomes drunk, so drunk he passes out in his tent–naked as a jaybird as my grandma would say. Guess what? Noah was not a man who habitually got drunk and passed out naked. He was not known for his indecency or even poor decisions. He was known as a man who loved and obeyed God. He made a mistake. He didn’t even commit an intentional sin according to the Church Father’s…a venial at the very most.
So Noah is lying there, exposed and totally vulnerable and a family member–one of his sons, Ham–happens upon him in his mistake. Instead of protecting his father, instead of covering his father–literally and figuratively–Ham tells his father’s mistake to the next person he sees. Remember this is right after the flood so there’s not a lot of people around. The next person or people he sees are his two brothers, Shem and Japheth.
Now, can you just imagine how the story got told? Doesn’t matter really how much joking around or back slapping there was on the part of the Ham. The fact is, he found his father in an awkward position and then dishonored his father by exploiting his mistake. He didn’t extend charity or compassion for or over his father. This was a huge mistake on his part because there were serious consequences; he ended up being cursed for it.
Shem and Japheth on the other hand…they don’t really care what happened. As far as the scriptures tell, they don’t discuss the problem, ask around to see if there’s more to the story, wonder what happened or try to figure out what this all means. They do what any good children would and should do, they extend grace in the form of a cloak to cover their father.
Let me repeat, we’re not talking about a man known for drunkenness or living a wild and free life. We’re talking about a good man who made a public mistake.
Noah’s two boys extended a mantle of love over their father to protect him and others. They protected their father out of love and reverence and were blessed because of it. You know the scriptures say they even walked backward to cover their father. Wow. That act of walking backward to cover Noah showed the utmost love and respect for their father, placed over them by God.
The two brothers walking backward to cover their passed out, naked father, well, they also protected themselves. Nobody of moral integrity wants to see or share the mistakes of others. Period.
Can you imagine what the world would look like today if more people extended that “double coverage” to others? What would happen to social media as we know it?!? It seems we need a whole lot more of that double coverage these days huh?
Let’s not believe everything we read. Let’s not share the misinterpreted words of another. Let’s extend grace and mercy–a mantle of love–over those who may say the wrong the thing or say the right thing in the wrong circumstance or context. As our family has said in our Nightly Examen, “Did we assume the best and forgive the worst?”
Becca crosby says
Bless
You for the wisdom of this message! True love and respect really does “cover” a multitude of sins.
Jenny @ Women With Intention says
Hi Jenny! I love this post because it’s a great reminder that even someone who has done so much good, can mess up. I also really appreciate how just because something happened, it doesn’t need to be spread around like wildfire. Exposing others weakness and failings is never a way to get ahead. Thank you for sharing at WWIW. Hope to see you this week!
Michelle says
I wish that I could say that I’ve always done this for my husband. The truth is that I have not always helped my children’s view of him by voicing my own not so very good opinion or unhealthy perspective of his behavior at times.
All that I can do is to recognize this ugly pattern and try to do better in the future. This story is a great reminder for me. Thank you.
Gina Duke says
I have always liked this story about how Noah’s sons protected their father after he had passed out drunk. It is a very good lesson and reminds me of the scripture that says, Love covers a multitude of sins. It challenges me to remember this story when I am prone to expose someone else’s misjudgment in order to be funny. Thanks for sharing it. I am your neighbor at Holley Gerth’s linkup.
~gina
Jenny says
Oh yes, in an effort to be funny. Or what seems so very common among women, in an effort to prove their husband or children are worse than the other women in the group–again to gain a laugh.
Clare says
Thank you for this! I love these wise words…I remember years ago hearing in a sermon “Not everything that is true needs to be said to others…” There is never any need to expose the weaknesses and failings of others…
Jenny says
Oh such wise words Clare! Yes, so many things can be left unsaid can’t they.
Chris says
Wow, absolutely beautiful……so moving, so true.
I just love your words and your style, Jenny.
Thank so much for this. I needed it.
xoxoxoxo
Jenny says
Hi Chris. I appreciate the visit and kind words.
Chris says
xoxo
🙂
Amanda says
This was a great reflection on a story that isn’t discussed very often. I had never really thought about how much could be taken away from the story into our every day lives. Do we need to point out others faults or should we love and protect them and extend them grace. God gives us so much grace, but sometimes I am so quick to not extend it to others.
Jenny says
UGH I know Amanda. I am really working on extending that love and grace in my own home. It’s easy to see fault in those closest to you, I’m working on it being just as easy to see love.
Cheryl Smith says
Beautiful words, Jenny. So thankful you stopped by my blog and left encouragement behind! It was so nice to “meet” you!
Jenny says
Hi Cheryl. Have a great weekend.
Anita Ojeda says
Excellent thoughts, Jenny! I think today we too often have an attitude of, “Each to his own,” and just walk on by our naked, drunk friends and acquaintances. We don’t back up and cover them with a mantle of love (the act of walking backwards shows an attitude of sorrow for their father’s failure), we just come into the room and maybe shake our heads and continue our conversation.
Jenny says
I agree Anita. Instead of extending a covering of grace, mercy and love we do shake our heads in condemnations.
Susan Shipe says
Excellent and thought-provoking post, Jenny.
Jenny says
Hi Susan. I think this reminder is so needed in such a high tech world where words…and mistakes, get spread at the speed of light.
Joanna Sormunen says
Love truly fulfills all the law. Because when we act with love, we can never offend or hurt another person. We always extend the mantel love.
Thank you for this inspirational post!
Jenny says
Beautiful comment Joanna. Thank you.
Bethany says
Oh wow…I don’t think I’ve ever read this passage in a blog post. I know the story well – it never ceased to amaze me that AFTER the ark, in the midst of his new freedom, Noah gave-in. I love the passages you used here! Thank you for being bold enough to “go there” with a story that many often overlook.
Jenny says
Thanks for your comment Bethany. It’s amazing how much depth there is to a familiar story.
Debrra says
May I go forth today spreading mantles of love – beautiful!
Jenny says
Not only do I wish to spread a mantle of love…I pray others cover me when I mess up.
Erica Saint says
Amen! Such a good reminder of the power if our words, thoughts, and actions.
Jenny says
Hi Erica. Thanks for the comment. Yes, our words carry ripples so much farther than we could ever imagine.