My New Favorite Bible Story

Dottie Oleson

The story of Tamar in Genesis 38 is one of the wildest stories I’ve come across in the Bible. After digging more into this Bible passage this week, I think it has become one of my all time favorite Bible stories. 

Most of my life in Christianity has been one where I have lived under the paralyzing and polarizing notion of being pure, righteous, blameless, and above reproach. My “Christian” worldview was that to love God means to be perfect, well kept, clean, and present a good image. About 10 years ago, I came to terms that the paradigm didn’t hold up for me. Anytime I drew outside of the lines of purity my tower of holiness came crashing down and I was left in my isolated spiral of shame. I didn’t know where God fit into all of it, I just knew I didn’t measure up. Anyone else been there? 

What’s remarkable about the story of Tamar, is the author, Tamar, and God, all aren’t caught up in purity politics. Tamar is a bold and fierce woman. She finds autonomy and authority in her body. She leverages sex to get what she wants. 

And she is celebrated. She is called righteous. 

Genesis 38:26 “Judah recognized them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I…’

This is Jesus’ great grandma—Tamar—the woman who uses sex to reclaim her dignity. She is not hidden from the story. She is a part of Jesus' narrative. 

Let’s lean into this. Take some time to reflect on this story. Where have you felt like you have got caught up in purity politics for your own life or the life of others? How has shame and policing sexuality missed the point? What is God teaching you about the Tamar story? 

A breathe prayer to come back to as your reflect deeper this week: 

Breathe in: God, help me move out of places of shame,

Breathe out: And help me move into places of dignity.