«And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, ‘She is my sister’; for he was afraid to say, ‘She is my wife,’ because he thought, ‘lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold»‘ (Genesis 26:7).
History repeats itself. Isaac moves to Gerar and lies saying that his wife is his sister to save his own life. Children copy their parents’ good or bad behavior. On the other hand, children must remember that the weaknesses they have inherited do not exempt them from assuming the responsibility for their own mistakes.
«As Abraham had declared his wife to be his sister, so did Isaac; but the manner in which God protected Rebekah was very different from that in which Sara was preserved. No one so much as touched her.»—SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 373.
Apparently, Abraham had not revealed to his son his own experience and his own xenophobia toward the people of Gerar. Or perhaps, Isaac decided to learn for himself how wrong it is to have prejudices. If Isaac had been honest from the beginning, no one would have touched his wife, because once the Philistine king saw him caressing her, he did not dare to touch her. We must choose to tell the truth no matter the circumstances, threats or dangers.
Isaac was afraid of the wrong people, and we can all too easily make the same mistake. When I was a missionary in Ghana, Africa, I walked down the streets, clutching my purse with both hands, and walked as though someone was after me. The young pastor who accompanied me assured me: «Sister, in our country no one is going to touch you. In Ghana we have deep respect for tourists, and most of us are religious.» During my stay there, I had many opportunities to see that this was true.
Sometimes we hide the truth because we are afraid of people’s reactions. What truth do you hide today because you fear your loved ones’ reaction? Choose to be honest with yourself and with those around you. Undoubtedly you will be pleasantly surprised, just as Isaac was. It isn’t necessary to wait to be found out to confess a truth. When Isaac confessed his fear and when his doubts were cleared up, the king himself decreed an order of protection.
Have the courage to confess the truth that you are hiding for fear of people’s reaction. The King of the universe is waiting for you with a decree of protection in your favor.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
