Doug Siggins

“Shame on you!” “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

These thoughts and words are biting and heavy. When we hear them, we want to hide or cover ourselves. We all know shame. We might not be able to describe it but we have felt it: rejected, embarrassed, exposed, dirty.

Even without hearing these words, we know we aren’t perfect, we do things we regret. Our internal barometer, a conscience, indicates when we have screwed up. This is by design.

As image bearers of God, all humans carry an imprint of his moral code. This is often weak, corrupt and broken, but it is in us all. Our moral struggles produce feelings of shame. Shame makes us cover and hide from each other and God. Our thoughts are often, “Please don’t reject me.” Or, “I hope you don’t see my failures.”

God also gave us his moral law to show us we are unrighteous and haven’t lived as we ought. Oh, we often minimize the law or blame shift to make us feel less guilty, but none of us will be able to answer back to God that we didn’t know. This is also a source of shame. We are unrighteous and have a desire to cover as much of that as possible from God and one another. We ask questions like, “Can God really love me?” Or, “I am so damaged, I am of no worth.”

Shame can also come from what has been done to us. Victims of abuse often remark about feeling dirty or shameful due to others’ sins. They need to be cleansed and washed. They do not want to be exposed in their broken condition and have a desperate desire to be cleansed. Shame presses us into the shadows where our brokenness will not be seen.

We are less familiar with the powerful effects of shame than others throughout the world. Some cultures are referred to as “shame cultures.” Shame and honor are so intertwined into the culture that they really entangle every relationship and are the basic motivation for societal behavior. To bring shame on your family would be your greatest fear.

Shame is a universal experience as it was from the beginning. When Adam and Eve first sinned against God, their response was to try to cover themselves. Before this event they were “naked and not ashamed.” (Genesis 2:25) Now ashamed, they needed to cover from each other. Then they hid from God. Shame keeps us hiding. We don’t want to be seen as weak or broken. We cover with more sophisticated material than fig leaves. We cover with our reputations, careers, lifestyles, families, accomplishments, affiliations, volunteer works, good deeds, religious labors and piety. Or we hide behind alcohol, drugs, sex, work, food, anger, vacations and anything else we can find relief in. 

Jesus, being truly God and truly man, lived the only righteous life ever lived. He never had anything to be ashamed of. Yet, he was mocked, despised, ridiculed, stripped naked and publicly hung on a cross. He was victimized and tormented. He deserved honor but instead was shamed. Why? Jesus was willing to take on himself the guilt and shame of all who call on him, acknowledging their need for cleansing and covering.

Jesus was treated shamefully by man and God. He received our guilty sentence and experienced the eternal punishment our sin deserved. The very shame we fear so much was put on him. Those who trust in Jesus as their only hope are cleansed and covered. He was covered in our sin and shame and we receive his royal robe; a covering of righteousness and honor. 

Being covered by Jesus is the only satisfying covering. We can live a life free from guilt and shame only if Jesus removes it from us and covers us with his honor. He will do it for all who come to him and ask. Jesus was shamed and rejected so that we may be covered and approved.

You can stop striving for acceptance before God and man, knowing you are fully approved of, never to be rejected, forever accepted because Christ covered you. You can find real rest. Come to Christ. Rest.

(Doug Siggins is a pastor and biblical counselor at Trinity Bible Church in Powell.)