Cover your father's nakedness

Genesis 9:22-23 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid [it] upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces [were] backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

The Bible says a prophet is not without honour except in his home area. It's the very people who are close to an anointed man of God that usually get so familiar and miss out on receiving from him. These are usually his family members, neighbours, workmates, or friends.

Truth be told, men and women of God experience life just like anyone else. They encounter successes and failures and have weaknesses, but regardless of those, God still uses them powerfully.  

Many marriages of men of God are under attack, their finances, their children, experience accusations of every kind, their health is challenged, etc. Sometimes, you may wonder that if he has been able to counsel many marriages, why is his marriage failing? If he is healing others, why is he suffering from a chronic disease? If he is preaching that God's will is prosperity, why are his finances falling apart? 

Even the saviour Jesus suffered from familiarity.  He was mocked by people when he was on the cross who saw him at his point of weakness, "if he saved others, why can't he save himself?" That must come from a group which knew him well. The greatest hurting statements usually come from those who know you well. I have received a share of those, too.

At such points of weakness, some who get to  know are tempted to disbelief in their ministry, yet they forget that men of God are still men of God even in their apparent weakness. 

I love how David behaved when he heard of the death of Saul. He told the people not to publish it in Gath. The two sons of Noah moved backwards to cover their father's nakedness instead of laughing about it. Some are funny in that they go ahead to call the media outlets to tell them such news!

Your father may experience nakedness. When you happen to see or hear of your man of God's nakedness, cover it instead of publishing it, discussing it or laughing over it. 

Further scriptures 

2 Samuel 1:17-20 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of] the bow: behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.) The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Matthew 13:57-58 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matthew 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.