Category Archives: Embarrassment

Ashamed, Attacks, Bible, Embarrassment, Humiliation, Scripture

NOT ASHAMED

ROMANS 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Shame and condemnation are methods the devil uses to try to discourage and discredit us. You’re not worthy! Look at all the bad stuff you’ve done. God can’t forgive you! Those are just a few of the things he might say. Shame has no place in the life of the believer, either shame dumped on us by others (or the devil) or shame we put on ourselves. Paul talks about another kind of shame, however, in today’s verse. Let’s see what he says.

Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Why in the world would he say that? Well, just think about his life. He had been a Pharisee, a keeper of the law. Now he is proclaiming salvation in Jesus alone. All those Jewish leaders he knew were shaming him, even attacking him. They probably said he had lost it, had gone crazy and was even denying his faith. Shame, shame, shame! But Paul was brave and courageous and refused that shame. He was speaking the truth and seeing lives changed.

APPLICATION

The word for “ashamed” is used eleven times in the New Testament. Six of those times it is used in the negative as to “not be ashamed” as it is here in today’s verse. But in Mark 8:38 (and the parallel verses in Luke 9:26) Jesus warns us of being ashamed of Him or His words. “‘For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’” Now, who wants to face that? I sure don’t. I want to hear those precious words, Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Paul tells Timothy to “not be ashamed” in 2 Timothy 1:8. “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,…” And he says he is not ashamed in verse 12 of the same chapter. “For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” There’s a little song that goes with that verse. Remember it – “For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able,…”

Paul praises a believer named Onesiphorus 2 Timothy 1:16-18 for not being ashamed. “16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me— 18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.” Don’t you want to hear those words said about you? Live unashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Live so that you will not be ashamed at His coming!

Lord, I am not ashamed of being called Your child and of placing my faith in You. You are my life.

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Ashamed, Bible, Double-minded, Embarrassment, Favoritism, Integrity, Scripture

ASHAMED

GALATIANS 2:12

“For prior to the coming of some men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision.”

I went to a ballgame once with someone who got a little obnoxious after the game. We had lost a close game, and as we walked out of the stadium, the other team’s fans were celebrating. This person I was with took offense at that and began arguing and yelling at them. I immediately walked away so I would not be pulled into that scene. I was ashamed to be seen with them at the time. Their behavior was not appropriate. Later, we talked about that as we drove home.

Paul tells us what Peter did to cause the confrontation which we mentioned yesterday in my blog on the previous verse. Peter had been eating with the Gentiles until James’ men arrived. When they got there, Peter couldn’t be seen doing that. He was probably eating some food that would not have been kosher. Plus, just the fact of a Jew eating with a Gentile was frowned upon. Paul notices Peter doing that and calls him on it.

APPLICATION

We should never act like Peter did in this situation. We are not better than anyone else. We do not “deserve” any special treatment. James 2 gives us a great illustration of this. Interestingly, this comes from the very man who sent the men to Galatia which caused the issue for Peter.

Verses 1-4 tell us, “1 My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,’ 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?”

Do you get the picture? I could add other verses on this but let me just include one more. Romans 2:11 says, “For God shows no partiality.” And there you have it – period. If God doesn’t do this, why should we? I am not saying it’s easy. Sure, we have our preferences of people. That’s normal. But never put yourself above anyone. Allow Christ to love them through you. Amen?

Father, I naturally have people I am more comfortable with, but don’t let me ever present myself as better than anyone.

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Bible, Conceit, Embarrassment, God's Will, Humiliation, Laughter, Scripture

WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?

HABAKKUK 1:10

“They make fun of kings, and dignitaries are an object of laughter to them. They laugh at every fortress, then heap up dirt and capture it.”

There is not anything funny about getting laughed at. Has that ever happened to you? It makes you feel small and invaluable. The ones who are laughing at you think they are better than you. Bullies love to laugh at others. Don’t be a bully. Don’t laugh at others. Laugh with them – not at them.

God is describing the Chaldeans here in verse 10 as bullies. They laugh at the kings they have defeated. They make sport of them. They look at their fortresses and act like the Big Bad Wolf, declaring they will huff and puff and blow their house down. Unfortunately for Israel, they could back up their boasting. Israel would be judged by these braggarts.

APPLICATION

Who are you laughing at? Who are you making fun of? Why? There is never a good reason to laugh and make fun of someone in order to humiliate them or shame them. I love a good laugh as much as the rest, but it must be a laugh that is welcomed and reciprocated.

The words used here for “make fun,” “laughter” and “laugh” have nothing to do with being funny. They all refer to scoffing and deriding. They are used in a negative manner each time. That is not the kind of laughter the Lord intends. He tells us in Proverbs 17:22, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” God wants us to laugh, just not at others.

I picture God as having a great sense of humor. I am not trying to be sacrilegious. I mean just look at some of the animals He created. They are hilarious. The duck-billed platypus? Come one! And the giraffe is crazy. It looks like God just stretched the neck out. So, laugh appropriately. Enjoy a good laugh. Only don’t do it at the expense of someone else.

Lord, Your Word says a merry heart has a continual feast (Proverbs 15:15). I want that.  

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Accountability, Bible, Embarrassment, Humiliation, Scripture

SKIRT OVER YOUR FACE

NAHUM 3:5

“‘Behold, I am against you,’ declares the LORD of armies; ‘And I will lift up your skirts over your face, and show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.’”

I had a boss once who used to say, “Don’t pull your gown over your head.” That meant don’t go and humiliate yourself. I wonder if he got that saying from this verse. We never want to be humiliated, do we? Whether someone else does it to you or you do it to yourself, it is never comfortable.

God is speaking in verse 5 to Nineveh through Nahum. He says He is about to embarrass them. He will reveal them to the nations. He will “show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.” All exposed. All revealed. Nothing hidden.

APPLICATION

How do we keep from being embarrassed over our actions? We walk in godliness. Peter gave us some great guidelines in the last chapter of his second letter. 2 Peter 4:14 reads, “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him.” Wise words.

Peter said something similar in the first chapter of this same letter. 2 Peter 1:3 says “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (NIV). If we live how Peter instructs us, we will have fewer embarrassing moments.

I do not want to have to explain myself to Jesus. I want to live my life pleasing to Him at all times. Do I do that? Of course, not. No one does. But I am striving every day to relinquish my will and embrace His. Will you? Will you give up your pride and live for Him?

Lord, I want to hear You say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” I want to honor You in all my actions.

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