Page 23 - The Plain Truth Spring-Summer 2026

Then there’s the shame in the workplace because targets We see both Adam and Eve’s solution – the taking of
have not been reached, or mistakes have been made, the natural materials to clothe themselves, and also God’s
shame of imperfect parenting or poor health habits. And response, his provision of coverings provided by slain
there’s also the peculiarly Christian kind of shame – with animals – a foretaste of the death of Jesus to come.
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sharpened consciences, we are not only aware of our sins, The problem with much media ‘guru’ self-help advice is
but also of our failure to be the disciples we want to be. that it offers, figuratively, a garment of fig leaves – which
None of this is helped by the media noise which will rot eventually – when what we really need is the radical
surrounds us. At every turn there are voices and images covering of sacrifice.
telling us what steps we need to take to have the ‘perfect
life’, and judgement washes over us when we fail, or don’t A message of forgiveness and cleansing
fit the ‘right’ profile. The Cross is at the centre of our faith. Although there
has been a disturbing tendency in recent years to soften
Understanding differences its edges, dumb it down into something modern and
We can take great comfort in having a Saviour who knows manageable, the cross is powerful, and it cuts to the heart.
about the pain of others’ reactions and condemnation. Jesus It is also the answer to our deepest needs.
knew about being different from his peers, about slurs cast Isaiah 53 is one of the most important chapters in the
on his family, about growing up with whispers about his Bible. In it, we read the extent of what Jesus suffered so we
parentage, and being of a despised nationality under Roman could be free. Not only did he
occupation. He knew about being misunderstood, ridiculed take upon himself our sins, so
and isolated, about being accused of all manner of evil, and we could be forgiven, he also
about having the most slanderous lies spread about him. bore our shame. Imagine, the
Lord of Glory was despised
and rejected by mankind, so
disfigured by his treatment
that men turned away their
faces, and almost certainly
crucified naked, subject
to all manner of ribaldry
and ridicule.
He underwent all this so
that we could be delivered,
healed, and receive his peace.
The great message of the
Gospel is not just that we can
metaphorically kneel at the cross and confess our sins – past
and present, great and small – and receive forgiveness and
cleansing from our guilt, but we can also be set free from
the shame that stalks us. And so, we have Paul’s declaration:
We do not have to live under the ‘The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power
bondage of shame any longer. of God!’ 7
We do not have to live under the bondage of shame any
longer. Let’s take steps to walk free!
Why not…
The Lord knows that shame is seriously incapacitating Take time with the Lord, getting very quiet inside, then
and destroys the abundant life he wants for us. He sees turn your heart of affection towards him. Ask him to show
those who will never read a book because they were made you any areas of shame you are carrying.
‘an example’ of at school, those who hide a disability for Declare your trust in his work on the cross, knowing
fear of ridicule, those who lie about their religion for fear of Jesus has paid the full price for your shortfall.
discrimination, and those who can’t find peace because of Ask him to forgive any connected sin, and to cover and
the shame of their actions years ago, or their failures today. heal the shame you carry.
Fortunately, there is a remedy, and it is addressed in the And then give thanks that he has heard your prayers.
very first chapters of the book of Genesis. After rebelling Let’s celebrate the power of the Cross to set us free! ,
against God, we read that Adam and Eve felt ashamed
of their nakedness. The first mention of something in 1 Mark 5: 25-34; Leviticus 15: 25-27
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Scripture is always important as it gives extra insight. 2 Strong’s Greek Lexicon
Shame is about feeling naked, vulnerable and exposed, and 3 Luke 4:18 [KJV]
at root comes from a fear of judgement – whether it’s from 4 Mark 10:46-52
ourselves, the Lord or others. Shame makes us hide. 5 Genesis 2:25; Gen 3:10
While this story refers to the shame of sin, the remedy 6 Genesis 3:7, 21
applies to all types of shame. Shame needs to be covered. 7 1 Corinthians 1:18

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