After The Work

Shame is isolation from others. Shame causes us to hide and cover ourselves. Shame is the perception that we are inherently different or somehow worse than those around us. “We don’t measure up, and we never will” is a lie that runs though the mind as a toxic root that can paralyze us from action and overcoming ourselves. Shame can be like a campfire providing light in the darkness to motivate us till the morning; but like wildfire, can get out of hand quickly if it lingers too long.

Guilt is the state that occurs when one does not live up to a given rule or expectation. It relies upon a failure to follow a rule that we make for ourselves, or society and God make on our behalf. Shame is similar, but much more profoundly felt. Shame says “something is wrong with me”. Shame can be a fundamental view of the self we learn from a variety of voices from our past. It can be as simple as a parent saying “you made a wrong choice” (guilt) versus “what is wrong with you” (shame).

Shame is a normal human emotion that has a place in life, often a motivator to change. It is often felt along side of guilt when we continue to fall short of societal rules, or when we act out of our ordinary self. Shame can be intense and if it stays to long becomes quite toxic to our view of the self. Shame can change our perception of the self to one that diverges from God’s view of us.

Jesus Christ was to bear our guilt on the cross, but also bear our shame. The cross was a Roman tool of torture and shame, those hung would be stripped and put on display as they died. Hebrews 12:2 calls out to, “run with perseverance the race marked out for us 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” God overcame shame through the love and forgiveness latent in the person and work of Jesus. Claiming faith in God through the cross of Christ strips the shame of our mistakes from us as we identify with him.

The Kingdom of God is full of paradoxes that transcend understanding; the cross and shame is one of them. Christ was defeated by Rome and the religious leadership of the day, or at least they thought. The reality has turn this upside down. By embodying love and mercy, Jesus Christ rose triumphant over the perceived shaming defeat. How then does this apply to us?

You are not as bad as you fear you may be. You are made in God’s image, to be loved and respected. You have made mistakes in the past, but you are not alone in that. In fact, if you feel bad about yourself and are willing to make different choices, you are already on your way to overcome your toxic and shameful self image. Christ will not hold your mistakes against you when you turn to him. You will see that you are loved beyond comprehension and the well of his forgiveness runs as deep as your darkness.

Image: “Shame,” by George Paul Miller.