Despising and Ignoring Shame

7/9/2023

Especially in light of the recent audio The Pornography of Listening to Your Busy Mind...

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Heb 12:1-3)

Jesus wasn’t concerned about being “ashamed” - it was of no concern to him. His Task Completion was all that mattered. He was not afraid of what anyone thought. What about us? Are we afraid to speak up? With one another? With strangers? Afraid of what someone might think? DESPISE the shame. Brush it off. Think of “shame” as NOTHING.

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

And what a terrible and shameful day that would be!

Maybe being “calculated” in what we say to coworkers or bosses or others about Jesus isn’t always “wisdom” or “timing” - but shame that needs to be despised?!

“Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord.” (Mark 11:9)

Despise the shame of how anyone would think of you for speaking of Jesus and his truth. ALSO: Despise the shame of being embarrassed by anything you may need to learn yet - of someone speaking to you or me about something? Despising and ignoring any feeling of shame.

Same thought said differently, based on other recent Help: Love — what happens to me doesn’t matter. If I love the person (Believer or unBeliever) I’m sharing with, the way Father loves, seeking God’s good (+1) for their lives, then however they respond, what happens to me doesn’t matter. They can insult and try to shame me or think less of me or view me as a “heavy” but that doesn’t matter. And if someone brings to my attention something that needs to change in me, whether they are 100% right or wrong in their assessment, STILL what happens to me doesn’t matter. Because I LOVE Jesus and simply want to +1 every day of my life. Shame will plug my ears and suck my energy from moving Forward. Shame is about me. But Love rests in the fact that what happens to me doesn’t matter. Only the Blood of Jesus matters and Him getting His way.

The messages being sent this morning are reminding me a lot of the tracks sent last night. I was thinking that the shame you may feel when someone brings something to your attention, that you need to learn is the “radio” that needs to be shut down, like anxiety or fear. Godly repentance and sorrow turn our face towards Him. Shame seems like a “click” that warns me to walk away from (despise, ignore, throw off) the energy and avalanche of me-centered thoughts that spiral from listening to that shame. Shame seems like the bad energy you were describing last night, that causes your pulse to rise and face to flush and your inside gets tense. All you need to know is Jesus isn’t in that place in order to walk away.

("Radio" = our spinning, chattering, analytical noisy thoughts that are not of Christ -- our radio of self-indulgence, self-justification, accusation and judgment, mopey, looping, fantasies, comparison, pride, fears, and more.)

Appreciated this part in the dictionary definition of disdain: “unworthy of one’s consideration or respect.” That’s the Truth about shame – not even worth a thought. Turn off and walk away, no energy waste.

A verse and song going through my head with the recent texts.

“You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as you promised. I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge. I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word. You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees.” (Psalms 119:65-68)

Unto Thee O Lord

Unto You O Lord

Do I lift up my soul

Unto Thee, O Lord

Do I lift up my soul

O my God

I trust in Thee

Let me not be ashamed

Let not my enemies

triumph over me

Yea, let none that wait

On Thee be ashamed

Yea, let none that wait

On Thee be ashamed

O my God

I trust in Thee

Let me not be ashamed

Let not my enemies

triumph over me

Remember not

The sins of my youth

Remember not

The sins of my youth

O my God

I trust in Thee

Let me not be ashamed

Let not my enemies

triumph over me

Take me back home

Back home, O Lord

Take me back home

Back home, O Lord

O my God

I trust in Thee

Let me not be ashamed

Let not my enemies

triumph over me

Another angle and example of ashamed vs despising/ignoring shame!:

“David was told, ‘The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.’ So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. Those who carried the ark of the Lord took six steps and then David sacrificed an ox and a fatling calf. Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord. David and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord, shouting and blowing trumpets. As the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him. They brought the ark of the Lord and put it in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord. When David finished offering the burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. He then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel, both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home. When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house, Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to meet him. She said, ‘How the king of Israel has distinguished himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servants’ slave girls the way a vulgar fool might do!’ David replied to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family and appointed me as leader over the Lord’s people Israel. **I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this!** But with the slave girls whom you mentioned let me be distinguished!’ Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no children to the day of her death.” (2 Samuel 6:12-23 NET)