TWO TREES IN THE GARDEN OF OUR HEARTS

Part 3: The Fruit of Hiding

 

In our last two blogs, we talked about how eating from ‘The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil’ gave us our Independence from God to do whatever we want to do, but made us slaves to the evil one, sin, and the ‘flesh.’ We also discovered that hidden beneath the tree was the root of fear, which always produces death whenever we eat from it.

 

Today, we will examine ‘The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil’ even further. We will look at the fruit the tree produces as fear becomes the sap that passes to each branch of the tree. The first fruit produced from fear is hiding.

 

When Adam and Eve ate from ‘The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil’ the first thing they did out of fear, they HID THEMSELVES. Remember the aprons of fig leaves they sewed together when they discovered they were no longer covered in the Holiness and Righteousness of God? Do you recall how they looked around as they felt like the animals, angels, and everyone were looking at them? Can you sense how they felt feeling vulnerable, afraid, broken, damaged, and rejected by everyone? So what did they do? They did what all of us have learned to do from our first parents… HIDE! We have worn masks and put on facades like our first parents from the time we were born. We don’t call them masks, we call them us.

 

 

Merriam Webster dictionary defines the word ‘hide:’

• to put out of sight
• to conceal for shelter or protection
• to keep secret
• to screen from or as if from view
• to turn (the eyes or face) away in shame or anger

 

As little children, we discovered people will reject, be cruel, insensitive, deceitful, mean, and oppress us; so to protect our feelings, emotions, and vulnerable hearts from others, we learned to hide from them and created ingenious masks or facades. For example, as a child, surrounded by people who touched me or hurt me, I became very charming so people would like me and not hurt me. I taught myself how to smile, be polite, laugh, even when things weren’t funny, and how to be a pleaser and performer for acceptance. I learned early on, sometimes if people like you, they won’t hurt you… that turned out to be a lie. Think about your environment for a minute growing up in your family, school, neighborhood, or church setting, what mask did you wear to protect your heart and emotions from others? I spent years sewing together my fig leaves or masks to cover my life and protect my emotions from the elements of the world around me. Some I discovered are:

 

• being popular, singing, dancing, using my talents so others can see
• being smart and liked by others
• being an athlete
• wearing fine clothes or driving a fancy car
• living in the nice house
• having degrees, prestige, status, being knowledgeable of “WHOISWHO.”
• being a pastor or hold a special position in the church
• being well-known in the community or hold a certain position in our jobs

 

Our fig leaves or masks go on and on. These are ways we have hidden our vulnerabilities and allowed people see the mask but not the real us. It took years for me to form my mask for the world and others to accept me, and, it has taken years for my Papa to remove them. We sew each fig leaf, leaf by leaf, and thread by thread. As we learn to trust Him again, He doesn’t miss a fig leaf or thread as He restores us to our TRUE SELF. It is so ironic how we do all of this work trying to hide from each other when our deepest longings in the entire world are TO BE LOVED AND BE KNOWN BY SOMEONE… SOMEONE TO KNOW THE REAL ME!

 

Secondly, we hide from our Father. We have imagined our Father to be evil, cruel, mean, and out to get us whenever we sin or fail. We have feasted from the ‘Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil’ every day of our lives and the fruit of death says, “He can’t be trusted! He will not do what He says! He will fail you! He will make you do things you really hate to do!” The lies go on and on. The truth is; He is the ONLY ONE who really knows us more than we know ourselves.

 

Psalms 139:2 – You know when I sit down and the moment I get up in the morning. You understand my thoughts even before I think of them. (paraphrased)

 

Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew you.

 

Luke 12:7 – But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. KJV

 

John 10:14 – I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own knows Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me].

 

He knows us so intimately!  There are times Papa would ask me, “Tresca why did you do that?” I would reply, “I don’t know Papa, why?” And, He would tell me. NOTHING I DO, FEEL, OR THINK ARE HIDDEN FROM HIM… EVER! We believe the lie, He doesn’t know us. And, why don’t we choose to come into the intimate presence of the ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS US SO DEEPLY? We would rather read about Him, work for Him, talk about Him, go to church to worship and sing about Him. But, when it is time to sit down and share our hearts with Him, and have an intimate conversation with Him, we hide from Him. We hide in books, games, work, family, church, television, Facebook, and so many other activities. Why do we do that? Because, we are afraid our Father really doesn’t love us, nevertheless, like us. But He does, HE REALLY, REALLY DOES!

 

We have learned to hide from each other and hide from our Papa. Also, we have created masks for the world to see and unfortunately those who love us the most. Finally, we have lived in fear that once someone sees the real me, they won’t like me or love me, or they will use me; that is a lie far from the truth! The TRUTH IS, WE ARE LOVED AND ADORED BY OUR FATHER. And, we have a family in the Body of Christ where we can be ourselves without pretense or masks.

 

Prayer: Thank you, Papa, we don’t have to hide anymore from You or each other! Papa, we are learning to trust you in this area so please teach us to turn to You when we are afraid so we won’t hide from you. AMEN.