Genesis chapter 9: verses 20-23 (NIV)
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.
Matthew chapter 5 verse 7 (NIV)
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
John Chapter 8: verses 10-11 (NIV)
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
We know that Noah was a righteous man; the Bible tells us that, and it is the reason that he and his family were saved from the flood. But he was just a man and he made a mistake. It would have been a while since he had drunk any wine, the vines would have had to grow again, so perhaps he didn’t intend to get drunk. Perhaps too, Ham had never seen his father drunk before. If Noah’s sons looked up to him, perhaps he was hurt and disappointed in seeing his father like that. But its his response that’s disappointing. He told his brothers. They, on the other hand, were careful to treat their father with dignity and respect.
We may have people in our lives that we think very highly of, but we must be careful not to put them on a pedestal, because they too are only human. If they do something that is unexpected or out of character, and Heaven forbid, if they make a mistake or sin, we must be careful to treat them with the same dignity and grace that Shem and Japheth treated Noah.
Jesus taught the disciples and the crowd on the mount of the beatitudes that those who show mercy will be shown mercy in return. One of my very favourite bible stories is the one about Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in adultery, and the grace and mercy with which he dealt with her. He didn’t condemn her sin for her sin, but he didn’t condone it either, and he told her that she needed to change her life.
If someone we know and love hurts or lets us down by their behaviour, whether they intend to or not, let’s treat them with grace and mercy, and remember that we too may one day be in need of having mercy extended to us if we mess things up – we too are only human after all.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for extending grace and mercy to me when I didn’t deserve it. Help me to have the same attitude as Shem and Japheth and not be quick to point the finger at anyone else’s mistake, or to cast the first stone. I ask in the merciful name of Jesus. Amen.