Shame is how we build successful businesses, great football teams, and big churches.
Shame is an incredible motivator.
My buddy Steve told me tonight that the three building blocks for a successful business are Compare, Compete and Control and who doesn't want to be successful?
As I am reading through the Gospels, I'm watching what happens when Jesus enters the scene and I am yet to see him put shame on anyone and better yet I am amazed that Jesus has never shamed me, never, not even once in my short life. I have never felt shame in his presence
His perspective on me is worlds apart from the shame based world he entered. The world that judges people by their performance rather than by their intrinsic created value.
Why have I questioned God's Love for me my whole life?
Why is this message the most difficult to learn?
Why do I judge myself better than the homeless man on the street?
I'm really wondering if it is because I grew up in church. When I look back I can hardly remember a church experience that wasn't shame based.
I'm really wondering if it is because I grew up in church. When I look back I can hardly remember a church experience that wasn't shame based.
Even our singing was shame based.... Songs like "I don't know why Jesus loves me".
The statement is rooted in shame. It means I am looking within myself for value and coming up empty. It is the very reason Adam and Eve hid from their maker.
So I try harder and then compare myself with or compete with others to cover or hide my brokenness.
My judgement of myself and others is based in performance and I'm in good company. Even the disciples after being His closest companions for three years were a paradox of these questions....rating themselves by and competing with each other, based on performance. It is obviously a pretty difficult hurdle to conquor.
At the very end Peter was still comparing his performance with the others..."even though all of the others fall away I'll be faithful".
Why is it still more comfortable for you and me to find our value in our performance rather than than in His Love?
Because the whole world, religious and non religious is still immersed in the throws of shame.
Most every political party, most every business, most every school, most every sports team, most every family and saddly most every church determines each others value by their performance.
But something REALLY BIG and much more powerful happened on the cross!
The cross changed everything!
Jesus didn't just live among us to model a shame free existence He actually took on our shame...He became sin and the shame that sin produces and was nailed to the cross, destroying forever the indictment that sin had legitimately built against you and me.
Why is it still more comfortable for you and me to find our value in our performance rather than than in His Love?
Because the whole world, religious and non religious is still immersed in the throws of shame.
Most every political party, most every business, most every school, most every sports team, most every family and saddly most every church determines each others value by their performance.
But something REALLY BIG and much more powerful happened on the cross!
Jesus didn't just live among us to model a shame free existence He actually took on our shame...He became sin and the shame that sin produces and was nailed to the cross, destroying forever the indictment that sin had legitimately built against you and me.
It was love that saw me as I was, helpless in my shame rooted existence and spoke forgiveness and healing over my deepest wound. He knew my value and in love took my shame and destroyed forever it's power over my life. I have been redeemed which means I have been restored to my original created value. A value no long based in shame but in the honor his love bestowed on me.
It's no longer about being right or good. (performance).
It's no longer about being right or good. (performance).
It is now about the security that comes from being loved not for my goodness but in spite of it.
"God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them."
Along comes Jesus with a whole new evaluation system, a whole new covenant based not in shame but in honor.
The old covenant viewed all men through the grid of shame but from Jesus perspective every man and woman born ,was born with intrinsic created value. Every time Jesus approached a person in any setting he saw them in their created value and so He treated them with incredible honor. Go and read the stories again. Every person!
Remember Zacheus., "I'm going to your house".....remember the women who came shame free into rooms based in shame to wash and anoint Jesus feet...remember the scribes, "how oft I would have gathered you as a hen does her chicks"...remember...
In fact every moment I have had in his presence has come with incredible honor. He has never rubbed my nose in my sin or failure. He has always placed such value on me.
He loves me. Why? Because he created me and I am special.
In fact every moment I have had in his presence has come with incredible honor. He has never rubbed my nose in my sin or failure. He has always placed such value on me.
He loves me. Why? Because he created me and I am special.
There is not a man or woman on the planet who doesn't have created value. Every man and woman born and unborn is loved deeply by God. He loves me because He created me in his image and after his own likeness and when he approaches me he always approaches me with honor. This is the Kingdom of God. a whole new world, a whole new value system .
The difference between the world and the kingdom of God comes down to honor.
The difference between the world and the kingdom of God comes down to honor.
In the world we find our value in accomplishments and or failures.
In the Kingdom of God we find our value in His love.
Honor is the strongest motivator!
Shame was no match, Love won!
Hallelujah!!!
