An Identity Redefined
Joshua 2:2
"So they went and entered the house of a prostitute† named Rahab and stayed there.”
I took my three year old to a new park in my area known as the Dream Playground. I was distracted by all of the comic themed clothes. One kid had on a Batman shirt. He was way too smiley and screamy to be the Dark Knight. Another boy had on a Superman shirt which was ironic considering his fear of heights. His friend kept trying to convince him to climb higher but he didn't want to go much past his tip toes. A younger kid had on a Captain America shirt which was funny because he kept hiding behind his mom. It's so typical of the captain to hide behind a shield.
My favorite was a little girl who was wearing a colorful “Be awesome.” shirt. Why preTENd when you're already a ten?
You don't have to be a Marvel meme to have meaning.
No one saw Rahab as a hero. Nobody in Jericho had a t-shirt with her face on it. She was one of the city's villains. She was a prostitute. She made money ruining marriages. If we are honest, she fulfilled guys' dreams and haunted girls' nightmares.
We don't know why Rahab sold her body for money. As a little girl she probably dreamed about growing up to be a princess not a prostitute. According to dosomething.org there are 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today. 80% of them are sexually exploited. Whether Rahab was forced, coerced or chose her profession, Rahab needed rehab. Rahab needed God to come to her rescue.
When Joshua sent two guys to Jericho to do some reconnaissance, Rahab was faced with the opportunity to save the day. She could save their lives which in turn saves herself and the lives of her entire family. While Rahab is introduced as the prostitute when her story is told in the Old Testament, when she is included in the family tree of Jesus, the title "prostitute" is nowhere to be found. Her identity is redefined. In the book of Hebrews and James she's used as an example as a Hero of Faith. Her story changed from one of shame to one of glorious beauty.
Rahab shows that you are not born a hero. You become a hero by your choices. Maybe you started the day as a villain but you can end it as a hero.
In the X-Men universe, Emma Frost started as a villain. She was as cold as her name. She eventually becomes one of the leading good girls. Like Rahab, she proved that doing bad doesn't have to equal being bad. Even the most morally bankrupt can be saved by God.
Shelly Lubben is a former porn star. When she escaped what she calls "modern day slavery" she made it her mission to help other porn stars find healing. She refused to allow her foolishness rob her of God's faithfulness.
Like Rahab, Emma or Shelly, we can trade in our villainous start for a glorious ending.
Don't miss your opportunity to change your story.
