S1:E26 The Revivalists - Genesis Chapter 38

This week we covered the interesting and yet personal story of Judah and Tamar. Judah's wicked sons Er and Onan both were consecutively married to Tamar however, they were both put to death (for unknown reasons). As was the custom, Judah was to promise his youngest son Shelah but Judah, fearing death of his son, kept him from Tamar. Judah's wife passed away and when word reached Tamar that he was on his way to town, she took off her widow flock and dressed as a prostitute and positioned herself where Judah could find her. Tamar shrewdly negotiated with Judah with his offer of a goat, and she got him to offer his seal, cord, and staff. He bedded her (without revealing her face). Three months later, it was discovered that Tamar was pregnant with Judah's seed (twins) and Judah's first response was to burn her to death.  Tamar sent word to Judah of his possessions she held - the seal, cord, and staff. It was then that he recanted because he recognized his own evidence. By attempting to convict her as judge and jury, he knew that he was actually hiding his own sin - taking her - one who was not his wife. Thus he then further recognized that she was the righteous one. He put his fear of his sons death before family obligations.  By the way, Tamar is important because she is in Jesus' ancestry.  The moral injury discussion this week revolves around the double standard of these types of events even in the Military Sexual Trauma (MST) world of things that we know happens both in service and beyond. That the "response" was to vilify the woman but yet nothing happen to the man. These are things that have not evolved or changed over time. But if we do not discuss these sensitive topics then how do we evolve? How do we learn the discernment (as did Tamar) that she knew she needed to be shrewd and look out for herself or else perish. We are righteous when we search and conduct ourselves in a manner that pleases God.  Much as our military service requires family obligations, it is tough when we recognize that we have served over self, over family obligations. We are revivalists and our goal is to help veterans find that same righteousness we had as warriors and bridge that back over to our civilian lives. That we have been doing the right things for the right reasons now we need to adjust the mirror, if you will, that the things we do are for God and with the right intention.