His fat bulged at odd angles, making him look like a trash bag that had been filled too full. His cellulite dimples formed an irregular golf ball pattern broken up by patchy body hair, moles and a tattoo of some sort of four-legged animal on his upper right thigh.

Children giggled while their gasping mothers attempted to cover their eyes with their hands. Men looked on in derision and anger. Only a few stifled their chuckles. Why was the king parading out here like this? In this world, leaders were to model the values they esteemed the most, but this ridiculous man had thrown any notion of modesty out with his last article of clothing. Yes, the fat, old king was completely naked.

In his mind, nobody could see him. Nobody knew that his thighs hadn’t seen the sun in years. Nobody knew that his skin was so lumpy and nobody could see the tattoo of a lion he had gotten as a rebellious teenager. At the same time, he didn’t know what his clothes looked like, they were invisible. Consequently, everything below his neck was entirely transparent too, except to him. How could he not see his own body, invisible clothing, or not?

* * *

The Emperor paid a chunk of change for his new clothes. Some insincere, wretched punk took advantage of the eager, listening ear of his king and put him in a place to make a fool of himself. It might have been motivated by greed, but what about malice? An act such as this had to have some odium at its core, because nobody has it in them to be so mean without some hate in the mix. Even if that was true, maybe the king had some dire yearning for acceptance. Perhaps the polls were indicating that he wasn’t as popular as he was when he usurped the last king and took the throne.

Whether the hater had some supernatural level of influence, or the king had some self-esteem issues prodding him toward these excessive actions, all it took was a few words to get the sovereign of a nation to run around naked and feel alright about it. It’s amazing what a few sentences can do.

* * *

After indulging and eating some of that forbidden fruit that when they thought about it, was only mediocre, Adam and Eve had to cover themselves with fig leaves, because their bodies were exposed and they experienced shame for the first time. When God came by, calling their names, he asked, “Where are you?”

He discovered them with leaves over their crotches, hiding behind a mulberry bush. Adam explained that they were hiding because they were nude. Indignant, God asked Adam, “Who told you that you were naked?” (Gen. 3:11)

You see, God knows the power of words. He spoke our world into existence. He understands that when we speak to each other, those words carry consequences. He knows that our words have the power to fool each other, just as the Emperor was fooled into thinking he was covered, when he wasn’t.

Whether we run around naked, or we experience shame over nothing, we need to understand where that perception came from. In other words, we need to ask, “Who told you?”

Who told you that you were fat?

Who told you that you were ugly?

Who told you that you’re dumb?

Who told you that’s not God’s will for your life?

Who Told you that you’re not worth it?

Who told you that you can’t do it?

If someone tells you something that puts you in a place of shame, God says that it’s better for them to have a millstone tied to them and for those unfortunate individuals to be tossed into the sea. (Luke 17:2)
That’s how much He doesn’t want you to suffer because of another person’s words.
So….

Listen to God
and not the idiot
making statements
that you don’t need to hear
and walk in freedom.