Sep. 11, 2008 - Shame. Or, Adultery Part 2.
LOVED this Dr. Laura blog today called "Shame" on You (September 11 post):
Dr. Laura's topic centers on teen pregnancy, but I think could be about any sin. I detailed in my post a few days ago the fairly rampant adultery we've witnessed close to us. My church showed grace and love and truth to the most recent offender, but shame plays a healthy role in addressing sin as well. A wise counselor once told me that there can be no true reconciliation where there is no true repentance. Sometimes, she said, the people in our lives forfeit their chance at reconciliation. In short, they feel no shame. I heard this same thought expressed a different way on our local Christian radio recently: "There can be no unity where there is no truth."
The key and the challenge, my counselor friend commented, is not to let others' lack of shame--and you will always be tipped off to this lack by a variation of the "Who are you to judge" or "It's no one's business but our own" arguments--lead us to judgment. Our job is merely to present truth, present God's view when it is clearly known, to encourage those who have left the path to get back on. Our enemy would love nothing better than to bump us off the path as well through bitterness or judgment or anger.
We all have sandpaper people in our lives. But we can't let their lack of shame lead us to thoughts or actions that should bring us shame.
All in all, consider this a riff on Romans Chapters 1-3. Chp 1: The ungodly are really, really ungodly. Like, rilly, rilly bad. Chp 2: Those who aren't ungodly should watch their attitudes too. They're often no better. Chp 3: For all sin and fall short of the glory of God.
Let's not get stuck in the endless loop of Romans 7:18-24. Press on to Romans 8:1. It's easy to forgive the repentent. Christ forgave us while we were still unrepentent.
Blessings, Holly
