Tamar - Fashion Forward

Genesis 38:12b-14 When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him. When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep," she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

Judah was done grieving. Over, done with, out of his mind. Time to get the boys together and do some sheep shearin'. The thing about sheep shearing was that it was also a time of partying. Judah was over his time of sadness and now he was ready to have a little "fun".

Tamar hears of this upcoming trip. It doesn't say who tells her, or how much time she has to prepare, so let's discuss what happens here. Tamar takes off her widow's clothes - which apparently she has been wearing since her first husband died - Stacy London from "What Not To Wear" would have had a field day with Tamar. Anyway, she then puts on a veil and sits on the outskirts of the city waiting for Judah - she was attempting to look like a prostitute. My question is: where did she get the clothes to dress like a prostitute on such short notice? Now I may have one or two dresses in my closet that I think may be too revealing in public, but I know I don't have anything that could be misconstrued as something Julia Roberts might wear in Pretty Woman while she was 'on the streets'.

While waiting there for Judah to appear - guess who she sees - Shelah! All grown up, no less. Yet again, she was not given to him as a wife. The anger that must have festered inside of Tamar as she waited - maybe that was the fuel that kept her strong to her task - kept her from chickening out.

We all have situations that we do not look forward to, but we know it has to be done. If we can just let God be our fuel and keep us running through the storms and the troubles - we'll get through it with amazing results!