Genesis 38: 11, 12: “Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.”
Judah knew what his responsibility was when his second son died and he pretended to do what was required by making a promise to Tamar. However, he had no intention of keeping his promise and continued with his life as though nothing had happened. After a while his wife died and he went through the mourning phase but still didn’t do anything to help his daughter-in-law. His position was quite different to Tamar’s. She didn’t have anyone to care for her and had to live with her father while he was free to do whatever he wanted to do and go wherever he wanted to go. Judah’s actions remind us of Matt 21: 28-30 (“But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.”) Our words may give people a good impression but our actions show who we really are. It is easy to miss what someone is saying because we can’t hear their words over their actions.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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