Restoring the Outward Gaze

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked... –Gen. 3:7

God created Adam naked, bare, and clean. When Adam walked through the garden, he had no conscious preoccupation with his nakedness. It was all he ever knew. He just didn't think about it. What he thought about was God. That's how he saw himself—as a person in relationship with God. God was his frame of reference. Adam had an outward gaze. He simply looked out and saw God, the focal point for his existence, and everything else—including himself—was an afterthought.

After he sinned, however, things got disoriented. He lost his frame of reference. His gaze turned inward. His eyes were opened, and he knew he was naked. Why was he suddenly so aware of himself? Sin made him acutely self-conscious and self-critical. He was no longer an afterthought. So, he ran and hid in shame.

But, God comes looking for Adam in the garden. "Where are you?" God asks. Adam replies he is hiding because he is naked and afraid. Naked? Of course he is naked. God made him that way. Then, in a single question, God puts his finger on the problem, "Who told you that you were naked?" In other words, What caused this sudden shift in perspective? God goes on to explain the consequences of Adam and Eve's sin. Then, graciously, tenderly, God makes them some garments to wear. He covers their sin and restores the relationship.

Sin makes us so aware of ourselves, we become the frame of reference for our own existence. We become acutely self-conscious and self-critical. We run and hide and cover ourselves up. But, we can't get rid of our inward gaze. The only solution is for God to restore the relationship and cover our sin. He mends our wounds and covers us with his garments. Only then are we able to look out again and see God first, and ourselves in relation to Him. Only then is our frame of reference reset on God, our outward gaze restored.