#8 Scorning Shame
Heb 12:2 “ … For the
joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
This verse in Hebrews states that Jesus puts the shame of the cross to
shame by embracing it, enduring a lowly death for the whole world, who so ever
accepts Him[1].
Jesus took this on willingly so that we might be brought into union with God. Jesus
was shamed by being born in a manger, hung on a cross[2],
and His followers were given the derisive moniker of “Christians.” Yet He conquered
that cross, a symbol of fear for the world, and changed it into a sign of
victory. Now that humble manger is celebrated each year at Christmas time, the
cross is on top of churches around the world, and the word ‘Christian’ stands
for moral and upright behavior. God takes what the world scorns as shameful, lowly
and humble and transforms it with His glory. Christians started hospitals,
universities, shelters for the poor, infirmed and elderly – flawed people
helping others in gratefulness for what Christ has done.
Mark Twain was walking on a single wooden board placed across the
muddy street when his rival approached from the other direction. He told Twain
that he would never step into the mud to let a fool pass by, and Twain said “I
always do!” and gleefully stepped into the mud and went his way. He embraced
shame, shaming the taunts of his rival.
When I left my professorship at USC to go to teach at San Diego State,
I was privileged to teach Sunday School to the “other” group, 10-15 older,
single adults who didn’t really fit in with the younger collegians nor in the
married Sunday School classes. It was a pejorative name that bothered me at the
time. But that small group grew to over 100 on Sunday mornings, and several of
the group became elders, many got married and started 3 married Sunday School
classes, one member started the PreSchool at the church, we started a large
home-group Bible study at over 20 homes in the area, and many other members
became missionaries around the world. It was a place of healing and redemption
for many people who did not have the advantage of a partner to share their
struggles (or hide their faults). Given the success of this group, I remember
meeting with my Council at one point to suggest that we now change the name of
the “other” group when the president of group said with pride: “No, we’re ‘The
Other Group!’ ” They had taken a derisive name and turned it into a badge of
honor, which we gladly kept, scorning shame and embracing our calling.
By putting shame to shame, Jesus restores righteousness. God delights
in lifting up even the least of us, the lowest, the weakest, who by trusting
only in God, are exalted to high places.
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