Cover Up

Gen. 9:20-24 tells the story about Noah and his sons. After they got off of the ark, having been on it for a year, Noah became a farmer. He grew a vineyard, made wine, drank it, went into his tent, and became uncovered during his sleep. Ham went in and saw his father's nakedness. I wonder if he went out and said,"Dad's in their naked as a Jay Bird and drunk as a skunk." Snicker. Snicker.

The other two boys took a garment and walked in backwards and covered their father's nakedness, refusing to look at him in this state, preserving his dignity in their minds and in reality. Noah woke up and found out about it and actually cursed his younger son for making fun of him and blessed the boys who covered him up.

Now, to be honest, I am not sure how fair this was. I mean, should Noah have been drunk in the first place? And it is a little funny, to walk into a tent, and see him like that...well, maybe not that funny.

So, I wonder, does this mean we are to cover one another's "nakedness" when we are not acting like we should? Perhaps Ham didn't make fun of him. Perhaps it was the fact that he 'told' his brothers about his father's state. Perhaps, he should have quietly covered him up and told no one about it.

Perhaps, there are times, we should do that too.
How thankful I am for those times others have quietly covered me.