Remove the Fig Leaves

The book of Genesis is fascinating. The origins of the universe. The purpose of humanity. Worldwide catastrophe. Spreading out of humanity. Singling out one particular family and family line. That’s just the first twelve chapters.

Chapters 13-50 give us famine, war, circumcision, disjunction, murder, wealth, growing family, protection from famine, slavery, and so much more. 

The point of Genesis is not to give a detailed account of how the world, and everything in it, formed, but that God, the Lord Almighty, is the One who created everything, called it good, and gave it purpose. Through everythign that happens we see what happens when the focus of peoples’s lives is taken off of God and is, instead, focused on self-protection, the self.

Everything that happens in Genesis 3-50 could be described by one word—Shame. Why shame? Because shame causes us to focus on our selves, our insecurities, our perceived lack, how we are dishonored. What happens is we begin to devalue humanity and find ways to make sure we feel safe, secure.

So how did we get here?

Look at the end of Genesis 2. Adam and Eve were naked and felt no shame. Not only that but, they were both completely comfortable with their divine purpose and relationship with the Almighty. What does this tell us? Their lives were completely open and honest with God and with each other. They had nothing to hide.

It wasn’t until the serpent came on the scene when everything started to go away from the original intent. It. Was here when doubt entered the scene and Eve and Adam began to doubt and disbelieve God was who he said he was and would do what he said he’d do.

Right after they ate from the forbidden fruit, Adam and Evelyn covered themselves with fig leaves. They felt like they had to cover up what has been exposed. They felt unworthy to be so vulnerable in the presence of God and in the presence of each other.

Because of this shame, and the need to cover up sin and lives lived away from God, we get the stories and events in the rest of the Old Testament.

Now, here’s the part I love about what the New Testament teaches—Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost. He came to bear our shame and bear our curse. The beauty of Jesus is that we get a clear picture of God in flesh. We get a clear picture of how God desires to make us whole. In the process of being made whole, we see how God is making us holy (whole, complete).

We do not have to hide anything in God’s presence because he knows we have made a mess of our lives. In other words, we can be completely vulnerable and exposed (naked/bare) in our relationship with God.

I know it feels as if we have done wrong, and are wrong. Guilt tells us “we have done wrong,” and shame tells us, “we are wrong.” But God, though Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, invites us to live a life free of shame, free of guilt. When we get to this kind of freedom, we learn how the chains of sin and death have truly been broken.

So, what are you hiding? What do you feel shame over? What would it take to open your eyes, ears, and heart to the One who knows and loves you beyond anything you ever dreamed or imagined? 

What “fig leaves” do you need to remove? 

Do you go to the bottle to hide a hard day/life? Do you go to the needle, or other drugs to escape reality? Do you over work yourself to make sure you’re seen as valuable? Do you sleep with other people just to keep some sort of pleasure in your life? Do you resort to comedy or sarcasm to hide your real feelings? Do you just try to hide from everyone because you’re too sacred they can see the “real” you?

What are your “fig leaves” that keep your whole self hidden from the rest of the world?

I pray we all can learn to be completely honest with God, and honest with ourselves and others, so we can drop our “fig leaves” and allow ourselves to be vulnerable. The truth is, when we learn to embrace our vulnerability, we no longer have to expend energy trying yo cover up where we believe we have failed and we can completely be ourselves.

Showing the world the real you is what leads others to freedom and learning to be completely open and honest which leads to true wholeness, completeness, holiness. 

Hear the voice of God calling out to you asking, “Where are you?” How will you answer? Can you allow yourself to bring all of the broken pieces to God and allow him to work through your brokenness and demonstrate his grace and unconditional love for you?

Remove your fig leaves and just see how God begins the healing process by showing who you are and allowing your real self to live openly in his presence.

If this helped you, I’d love for you to share this post with others.

May your life be so completely open that God’s grace shines through and you witness the transforming power of being completely open and honest with God, yourself, and others.