I am not sure I understand fully how it feels for a man to be married to a woman whose presence draws attention from men. Will that be taken as a sign of good luck (to be married to the world’s most beautiful) or as a sign to beware (grab your wife before another man grabs her). In both cases, I don’t wish to be seen as a trophy ‘wife’ based on my physical appearance. In our modern day, people go the extra mile to look beautiful and presentable. Some undergo all sorts of life threatening surgeries to enhance their looks, body, shape and these surgeries cost a fortune and an error can leave one deformed permanently. Imagine being in your late sixties and your natural beauty alone is enough to make strangers recommend you to the king? How is that possible? Looking at my mum in her early sixties, I wonder if she will even be taken as a candidate for a beauty contest, let alone win it hands down. Anyway, that kind of beauty at sixty, probably doesn’t exist in our generation. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” (Genesis 12:13) Sarai left Haran around age 65. We don’t know exactly how long they lived in Canaan before the famine came. Abram and his family had to migrate to Egypt to survive the famine. “As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” (Genesis 12:11-13). Like how? Who cares about an older woman anyway? But Abram was right, Sarai was not just any woman. Her beauty was breathtaking, her presence was exhilarating. She was so beautiful that her husband was aware of the effects she had on other men. What a beauty! But she was still a submissive wife. Finally “when Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels” (Genesis 12:14-16). Oh, so Abram was right after all. Sarai’s aura was felt in Egypt and because of her, Abram was treated well. I am sure Hagar was one of the female slaves acquired in Egypt. We will consider Hagar’s story another time. Was it worth the lie? What happened to Abram when his wife was taken to Pharoah? What if God had not intervened? Lies do not save any situation. In fact, Sarai’s submission to a lie could have cost her marriage, and her body. Anytime we lie to save a situation, we need extra lies to cover that one. We recycle the lies each day to cover our guilt. If we lie to secure a spouse, you would have to constantly build more lies to sustain your marriage. Sarai might have been broken and hurt but she followed her husband’s instructions and ended up in Pharaoh’s palace. This is how the Lord intervened: “But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.” (Genesis 12:17-20) Pharaoh took Sarai to be his wife? I am sure Abram did not sleep through this. Dear sisters, before you lie to save the day, think of the consequences and if possible, consider Sapphira (Acts 5). Dear brothers, before you make your wife a trophy queen, know that other men will do anything to have what you have. The marriage bed should be undefiled (Hebrews 13:4).
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