Guilt And Shame - Repentance And Forgiveness

"Today's Devotion" For January 25, 2006

Read: Hebrews 12:1-12
Proverbs 13:18-21

GUILT AND SHAME - REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

Today, I'm troubled; disturbed (those who know me well wouldn't disagree, they'd just say I'm troubled everyday and "disturbed" is my middle name, but it's not that kind of "troubled or "disturbed."":>)). What troubles me, even disturbs me, is an article that was front page of the local newspaper's Sports section yesterday morning. Right in the middle of the front page of that section is a photo of a young lady with a baby girl. The caption above the photo reads: "She's driven. She's focused. She goes to all her classes. She's taking life head on" (a quote from the principal of the young lady's high school). Below the photo is the following headline: BABY STEPS. It's subtitle is: "Milwaukee (high school name) star (young lady's name) juggles motherhood, basketball, school and work."

By all accounts, the young lady in question is a remarkable person. Last year she was first-team, all-conference in basketball (no small accomplishment; that conference is quite a talent laden conference). This year she's a senior, has a 3.6 GPA (although, notably in one of the poorest academic high schools in the city), has a job on the weekends, and is, by all accounts, a good and loving mother to her five-month old daughter. She's the sixth of eleven children in her family and has a loving and stable home life with both mom and dad. Her mother takes care of the baby while she's at school, working, or playing basketball, often assisted by her younger sister. She's focused on going to college and taking her baby with her, which, by all accounts could be quite difficult because most college programs won't want to have the extra burden of a single-parent who's playing basketball and also raising a child alone.

There are more details that fill out this story, but these are sufficient. Suffice it to say that this is a great "human interest" story, the kind of thing newspapers love to print. Yet, it's sad, don't you think, that such a situation is plunked smack-dab, front and center, in, perhaps, the most widely read section of the newpaper? Certainly as people read the story they're happy for this young lady who's working hard to achieve something in her life despite having made some "bad choices.". Yet, what's so scary is that she's an unwed mother, not yet out of high school, and, for some unbelievably inane reason, someone thinks it's a good idea to put her out as an example to others of "hard work," "determination," and only God knows what else.

It seems that our culture and society no longer feels shame at any failure to live a moral life. Living a God-pleasing life has become "stuff and nonsense," often even to Christians. We've gotten to the point that having children out of wedlock is acceptable in many parts of our society. What was once considered to be a shameful act - so much so that girls were sent away from home to have their babies so as not to bring "disgrace" upon the rest of the family - is now so commonplace that hardly an eye is batted when such a birth takes place. In some segments of our culture, having a child in this manner is almost a badge of honor (and a statement, some have said, about how unimportant men are). It seems as if the loss of any conept of shame is so far along these days that a story such as this can be printed in the newspapers for all to see - seemingly as an encouragement for those in similar circumstances. In some ways, too, this story can be seen as promoting such behavior since there don't appear to be any "major" consequences for such behavior.

As God's redeemed children, we give thanks that God's love is so great for the world that He sent Jesus to suffer and die for the sins of the world. In His resurrection, God declares that Christ's perfect and holy sacrifice for Sin is complete - once and for all time. In Jesus that there is no sin which God will not forgive when we repent in sorrow over our sins and turn to Him by faith for forgiveness (except the sin against the Holy Spirit). There is a danger, however, that we can become complacent over our sins and the sins of other, equating forgiveness with "no consequences" for our behavior. St. Paul wrote about a situation of unrepentant sin, being lived out within the Corinthian congregation, for which no one felt any shame. Rather than confronting the persons involved with their sin, the congregation reveled in being "understanding," for which Paul severely chastised them. He notes especially that such an attitude of acceptance was only accomplishing the condemnation to eternal damnation for the perpetrators (cf. I Cor. 5:1-7).

How "jaded" and "accepting" have we become concerning sin? Has forgiveness of sins come to mean, for us and for our society, that there are no consequences for sinful behavior because someone's sorry? Have we gotten to the point where, when a non-believer tells us that it's unchristian to speak out against Sin and judge another's behavior, that we feel bad and heed their diatribe?

What happened to feeling shame?" That our culture and society sees nothing amiss with bringing the aforementioned young lady's behavior and its aftermath to the attention of the public, not for condemnation, but, in many ways to hold her up for admiration at her "determination to overcome the odds," seems to indicate that "shame" and being ashamed are no longer relevant issues. It is possible we Christians have become so enamored with being "relevant" to the world that we do everything possible to downplay any idea of "shame" over one's behavior?

By God's grace we have been called to repentance. By the power of His Word and Spirit, as God's redeemed children in Jesus Christ, we do feel shame and ashamed over our sins. Regardless of what the world's position is, as followers of Jesus we do not condone, glorify, or trivialize sinful behavior. We hold one another accountable in love, for our sinful behavior. We point one another to Christ's sacrifice for Sin and remind each other that sorrow over our sins and a repentant heart is essential to our relationship with God. We recognize the terrible and staggering burden of guilt and shame over our sinfulness and accept, by faith, the consequences in our lives of such behavior. At the same time, no matter the consequences, we give thanks to God that our sins are forgiven and that after this earthly life, we will be with Him, restored to the perfectly created body, soul, and spirit He gave us at Creation. By faith, filled with God's forgiveness and love, we accept the consequences of our sinful behavior and quietly live for Jesus.

Prayer: Father, I'm confused this day over what's happening in the world around me. It seems that the world feels or sees no shame for almost every kind of sinful behavior and those who sin, as I do every day, are glorified for their "determination" to overcome their poor decisions. The whole idea of feeling shame for sinful behavior, sorrowing over one's sin, seeking God's forgiveness, and accepting the consequences of such behavior without public display or proclamation seems to be lost in society and the world. All too often, I too, forget that feeling ashamed is the first consequence for my sinfulness - without that shame I would never turn to You for forgiveness and peace. Father, I ask Your forgiveness for my shameful, sinful behavior and pray that You would lead me to be an effective example of what it means to be forgiven - that being forgiven of all my sins in Jesus points others to Him and Your love for the world in Him, not to me. Hear my prayer, gracious Father, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.