What? A Shame

Have you ever had something not work out like you thought?  Maybe there was even something you did that prevented a project from going forward.  Are there thoughts that you have had or things that you have done which you would rather others not know about?  Think of how they would be disappointed in you.  Think of how you would feel if they only knew!  It would be a shame if others knew; or would it?

It is human nature to want to please others.  Children are born with a desire to please their parents.  What child has at some point not felt the dread of shame after disappointing their mom or dad?  What child has not been caught doing something they knew that they should not have been doing only to feel the pangs of shame?  Then, children grow up.  They go off to college or enter the workforce and are exposed to all sorts of tolerated behavior.  They watch the movies and see the television shows that continually push the envelope of what society will tolerate.  As time goes along, more and more is not only tolerated; it is accepted.  The feelings of guilt and shame grow faint or are lost.  You don’t have to worry about pleasing others anymore; or do you?

When was the last time you recognized those feelings of shame?  An increasingly permissive society protects you from that!  Is this a good thing?  Today, psychologists will often say that it is.  You don’t need to be bothered with feelings of guilt.  That will just depress you.  You just need to be educated so that you can grow beyond that guilt and shame.  Does this sound familiar?  Do you see where our enlightened society has come?  Have you bought into this dangerous way of thinking?  This is one reason why tragedies like 04-16-07 can occur.

Shame is not a bad emotion.  It is a bad feeling, but GOD gave it to us to remind us that HE sees everything.  Some do misuse shame, but this does not mean it should be avoided.  Whether or not all those around you see or even care, GOD does see and He does care.  GOD knows everything that everyone in the world is thinking and doing at any given point of time.  Consider Psalm 94:9:

“He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?”

The LORD GOD sees and knows everything.  He understands what you are thinking before you think it.  He hears what you are saying before you say it.  Lamentations 3:22 reminds us of His Mercy:

“Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.”

So, what happens in Vegas does NOT merely stay in Vegas.  It is all known by GOD and even being recorded (Revelation 20:12).  One day, each will give an account of his or her own self to GOD (Romans 14:12).  You need not worry about whether or not you please another, for you will not have to account for your neighbor (though you will have to account for your impact on your neighbor).

Friend, you may feel little to no shame when comparing yourself to others, but you will feel shame one day if you have not come to know GOD’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ.  Those who do claim to know Christ had best be abiding in Him:

“And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”  I John 2:28

What a shame to not acknowledge this Truth!