The story of Jesus starts with the author telling us about His family tree. Now remember, this is in a time when people only highlighted the very strong and impressive “branches,” but instead the story starts out telling us that Jesus came from:
- Tamar — She was twice widowed and thought the best way to change her luck was to dress like a hooker, and stand on a corner to get a man to hop into bed with her. It worked and she got pregnant.
- Rahab — The madam of a brothel in Jericho. She wasn’t just a hooker; she was the queen of hookers. She later performed a very heroic act (not a trick) which led to her meeting a decent man. And this would lead to her becoming the great-great-grandmother of King David.
- Ruth — Widowed young, dirt poor, and survived by picking up leftover grain in the fields like a beggar.
- Judah — Suggested selling his own brother Joseph into slavery instead of just killing him. Then later he “unknowingly” slept with his daughter-in-law thinking she was a hooker (because that makes it better).
- Bathsheba — The author wouldn’t even write her name! He simply wrote, “Uriah’s wife.” She was the (married) hottie King David spotted bathing, and he then slept with her and she became pregnant.
- David — Israel’s golden-boy king mentioned above. So, obviously an adulterer. He attempted to cover up the above-mentioned affair by having Bathsheba’s husband killed. Yes, he had one of his own soldiers killed.
I’ll stop there, but there is actually more!
The question the reader needs to ask is, why would anyone start a story with such a scandalous list? Especially if you wanted a reader to believe the offspring would be someone worth following.
Part of the reason may be because while all of the branches of that tree had their issues, and were viewed as weak and extremely flawed…they still became the foundation for the birth of someone who would change the world. And yet, there is also something else to be gained from that list.
Regardless of the mistakes we make in life, they do not have to define us or become our legacy. All the people on that list suffered greatly due to mistakes they made. Well, except for Bathsheba, she suffered due to the poor choices of others. Make no mistake about it, someone in power took advantage of her. And yet, the author wouldn’t even say her name…possibly an attempt to erase her from the story. As if she were to blame. Things did not go well for anyone who said “no” to a king.
We all make mistakes and at times may even believe we have ruined our life. And many of you reading this know what it is to feel as though your life has been ruined by the choices or cruelty of others. You may even feel as though others have tried to erase you from the story.
So maybe that’s the answer to the question we started with. Why open a story about a king with a list like this?
Because it’s not a list of exceptions to the rule. It is the rule. Broken people, and people broken by others, are exactly who this story was written for. We know the story is about loving others, but don’t forget it is equally written for those who need to learn how to love themselves.
If you’re carrying a mistake, know this: it’s not the end of your story, it’s just one branch. The tree still grew. You are a precious part of a very important story.
Your past doesn’t define you. It built you.
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