Layers of Intentions

a reflection on four women in Jesus' genealogy

Photo by Jill Sauve on Unsplash

History's action unfolds as a series of events: they said this; others said that; he killed here; she birthed there. And beneath the events lay intentions--they wanted truth; they wanted justice; he wanted kingdoms; she wanted peace--until the story repeats with another generation saying what's been said before in different words.

A scholar could get lost in those layers of action and events, intentions and meanings. One could dig for ages and still find more. But beneath all that is another who channels both action and man's intention down his river like a family tree. And we, regardless of what we say or mean, find his will being done on earth as it is in heaven, birthing new children through our most absurd actions and most white-washed intentions.

Such was the story of Tamar. She veiled up and played prostitute, bargained for her father-in-law's seal, then used it against him. Judah intended justice; Tamar, a secure future and restored value. Whose intentions prooved pure? Judah says one thing, but God says another, for through this line he creates new life as a baby to save them from troubling behavior and unveiled intentions.

Such was the story of Rahab, the prostitute. She entertained spies--we won't say why--, hid them on her roof, and betrayed her people to their death and for what? To save her own skin and anyone else’s she coaxed into her house when the walls fell down. Did she mean well? Are scarlet chords a sign of faith? Man argues one thing; God says another. Through these bodies he sends his son as the firstborn of new births.
 
Such was the story of Ruth, mourning and seeking, following and gleaning. Let's not fault her, even though lying at Boaz' feet seems odd. However, will we say she intended God's will? Had she no thought for herself? Was Boaz magnanimously good, a man of spirit instead of flesh? No, how could they know what part they played in the dance directed by their savior? Their purity was produced in the baby born through that marriage. 

Such was the story of the roof-bather. Matthew won't say her name--the hussy. Who bathes on their roof within eyeshot of a palace where everyone knows the king is alone and bored? Surely, she was sniffing out greener pastures. Surely, he was eaten alive by lust and covetousness. No good intentions there. Yet through their bodies, yes fleshly bodies, God sends his seed as son to make meaning of the sin and sinner.

Let us land upon dear Mary, the mother of God, some say. Will we claim her heart was pure or that she, of all people, needed no saving? She presented her body for God's purpose, her womb to bear the rebirthing of our souls. And yet, she knew not the Father's business. The gospels show her mindset was something other than her son's. Therefore, she too served as a layer of intention through which Almighty God birthed the son of man to intend and do like we ought.
 
Birth upon birth follows death upon death.
Through this the Lord works his living spoken breath.
And we are the action and human aspiration
Like droplets in a river coursing down his intention.
Though we do one thing and we mean another,
He directs all and plans to birth us his brothers.

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