Shame: a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing.
Have you noticed? There doesn’t seem to be much shame in America these days.
Oh, there’s plenty of shameful things happening, but shame just can’t be found.
Why? Why is shame so hard to find?
Is it because people don’t know they’re doing wrong? Maybe in some cases. After all, the last couple of generations have allowed this country’s moral standards to drop so low, almost anything is acceptable.
To a large number of people, it’s quite alright to kill babies, as long as they’re killed while still in their mother’s womb.
Where’s the shame?
Others believe it’s perfectly acceptable for two people of the same sex to marry; though it is quite clear, biologically, that mankind was never designed for such a union.
No shame here. Tolerance is demanded, pride is applauded, and parades are encouraged.
Maybe some things should be left in the closet, while shame should be displayed.
Some believe it’s just fine to steal, kill, and destroy the life of another, if it will help their present situation, or, if it’s clear the person’s life isn’t worth the cost of keeping them alive.
Shame, shame, shame!
And there is a growing population who feel it’s okay to let the government support them and their family, their family’s family, and THEIR family. As long as they get what they want, it’s not a problem at all!
Do they really believe it isn’t wrong?
Maybe they just don’t feel the responsibility.
Or, maybe they simply try and hide from the feeling, the shame.
Where are you? Do you recognize the difference between right and wrong? Are YOU able to feel shame?
If enough people agree with you, you can hide your shame. If you drink enough alcohol, smoke enough dope, pop enough pills, you can make yourself numb to the feeling of shame. If you’ll just drive faster, work harder, turn up the volume of life until it’s piercing your eardrums, you can probably ignore the shame you’re feeling.
But that is EXTREMELY dangerous!
Shame is a deterrent, a warning, against a lifestyle of sin and wickedness. Without a sense of shame, anything goes! And when that happens, things begin to die and, eventually, civilization destroys itself.
Shame is a good thing!
Here’s what the Lord told Jeremiah to say to his generation:
‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back? Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around. I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”?
“No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle! Even the stork that flies across the sky knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know the Lord ’s laws.
“‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord ,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies? These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness, for they have rejected the word of the Lord . Are they so wise after all? I will give their wives to others and their farms to strangers. From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that. They are all frauds. They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions?
“Not at all – they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the Lord. I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the Lord, have spoken.” (Jeremiah 8:4-13 NLT)
“They don’t even know how to blush!”
Is this where we’re headed, America?
Church, is this what we’re willing to let happen?
“Whatever I gave them will soon be gone…”
Can we help “shame” make a comeback?
It would be a shame if we don’t!
Jan Grace 