A New Kind of Red

I love Rahab the harlot. Forever known as a harlot. That's ok with her, because she found her identity in God Almighty, so you can call her whatever you want. I like that although she didn't "harlot" any longer, after faith took over her life, her mistake is a constant reminder of grace. I don't struggle with the fact of her harlotry as much as I do with the fact that she lied. She lied at the same time that she acted on her faith.

Hiding the Israelite spies and lying about it was, I guess, like a toddler handing mom a bouquet of wildflowers with filthy fingers. Her lying was not ok, but her decision to give God her loyalty overshadowed indiscretion.  She was barely born. Brand new to faith in this foreign God, whose justice is perfectly balanced with grace. To whom much is given, much is expected...and vice versa. If my teenager or grown child handed me the bouquet with dirty fingers, I might not be so pleased. They should know better by now. So should I.

Her name went down in history as an honored woman, named in the lineage of Jesus, among men.  Rahab the Harlot. Hiding our mistakes isn't always the best thing to do. Sometimes God wants it to be used as a reminder of the depth of forgiveness we can receive through Jesus. A humble title. She was a prostitute and a liar...who heard of the mighty acts of the God of Israel and decided to put her life on the line and trust Him. She tied a scarlet ribbon to her window...a different kind of red this time...and her whole house was saved.

She traded the red of harlotry for the red of His blood, and hung it in her window.

Am I willing to hang my red ribbon in my window?

Just like the new testament woman whom Jesus delivered from the stones of men. She was guilty. He forgave her. With a command to "go and sin no more". "I'm sorry" means nothing if the sin continues, but Rahab type faith...the kind that changes...even the worst of sins...that's real. The labels we carry don't have to affect us. If God chooses for you to keep wearing it, as a reminder of grace, so be it.

Our mistakes don't have to haunt us. We can use them to tell our story of transformation. Not to shock people for entertainment,  but to shock people with the power of God.

As with Rahab and the new testament woman caught in adultery...

"Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me"

It's just a name. Use it to prove His love and power.