Shameless

"The two of them, the man and his wife, were naked, but they felt no shame." (Geneses 2:25, The Message).

Have you ever had one of those naked dreams? You know, the one where you're sitting in a public place, say an office or a classroom or a park bench, and you realize all of the sudden that you're in the buff? It's the exact opposite of those cool flying dreams. You wake up from the naked dream in a bit of a cold sweat of embarrassment. You wake up from the flying dream wishing you could go back to sleep and get back into that dream. If you have a dream where you are flying naked, well, not sure how I would suggest that might make you feel!

Nakedness is dealt with vastly differently between where we live in the United States versus other parts of the world. Really, even here it's a strange thing. We value covering up parts of our bodies. However, due to the constant barrage of sexuality we are subjected to (through the media and in fashion), even the North American standards for dress and "covering up" have been confused. The display of a woman's breasts, for example, is considered a taboo and sexual thing for almost everyone here (and even if one feels differently about this they still cover up for the most part in front of others). But a lot of us look at low-cut blouses as being provocative. Whole movements exist to back up a woman's right to nurse her baby wherever it is needed without having to find a dingy corner to hide in. Really, if our twisted views of the human body and sexuality were not at play here, you wouldn't even hear about women petitioning restaurants over the waiter that was rude to the nursing mother.

I think that we, as 21st century North Americans, read Genesis 2:25 and it shocks us a little. We even hear the word "naked" and a classroom of unruly teenagers becomes silent and focused! Obviously it was a bit of a shock word to Moses and the Israelites as well (otherwise what is the point of Moses even including this verse?).

But to Adam and Eve? Not even an issue. I feel like the context of this verse gives us a clue. When Eve was created, from Adam's rib (Genesis 2:21-22), and presented to Adam, what were his first words? "Finally! Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh!" (Genesis 2:23, The Message).  I really like the way Eugene Peterson puts this: "Finally!" Adam had named the animals God created. He had seen incredible works of God's creation. But Adam had "no suitable helper/companion" (verse 20). That assumes that the other animals had one. It's reading between the lines a bit, but it seems like Adam noticed that the animals had companions. Thus he was looking for one for himself that would be suitable, one that wasn't like another animal that he was naming but one compatible with himself.
And then, "Finally!" one came. He was asleep, woke up, and viola! God brought him a woman that was made of the same stuff as he in an amazing, beautiful gift. Relief and joy rolled up into one brief passage.

They felt no shame over their nakedness. They didn't think of their nakedness as an evil or shameful thing. They didn't even know what evil was yet. It is a picture of innocent bliss, happiness, and discovery.

Little children, before a certain age, will strip down without a thought or care as to who sees them. I wonder if this isn't another reason God loves children so much. They don't even think about that stuff, and in not caring they act more like He might remember the first humans acting before they ate the forbidden fruit, with simple joy and innocence.

As I read the creation story again, I am struck by how much better God's plan is for me than anything else going. What does He desire for me? A life of joy, of happiness, of discovery, and of innocence. A life that doesn't include sin and what that has done to my perceptions and attitudes. I am grateful that such a life awaits me. The story reminds me of how much better life will be in His kingdom. If you want to know what heaven will be like, go back to the beginning!