A WORLD WITH NO SHAME

"Now, although Adam and his wife were both naked, neither of them felt any shame." --Genesis 2:25

 

It takes a great deal of imagination for me to consider a world with no shame. I suppose that we have always known shame in our lives--at least I have. I have early recollections of being told that my actions, my feelings, my wants...were either selfish...or were misguided...or were somehow shamefully out of line. I think shame was used as a tool in my life to attempt to modify behavior and to establish compliance. I experienced shame a lot--to the point that I began to believe that I was, in and of myself, shameful. It's taken a revolution of my heart over the past few years to help me understand that I am, in essence, not shameful, but rather good--created in the image and likeness of God Himself. Transparency (nakedness) has been my road out of the valley of shame. The more I've opened up--the more I've experienced God's healing grace. Like Adam and Eve, we were all created to be naked and unashamed.

 

Perhaps this year will be the year when you gain the courage to share your secrets with a trusted friend. Over the years, I've had the role of hearing people's secrets and I can tell you that not one time have I ever received these burdens with any spirit other than the spirit of grace. No shame...just grace! Got secrets? Then you've got shame!  Isn't it time to come into the light and to discover God's glorious grace?