Are We Ashamed?

“Blushing” is the red coloring of the face that is caused by shame, guilt, modesty, or surprise. There’s an association between “blushing” and a sense of “shame and modesty.” In today’s society, there is very little that makes us blush anymore. We have seen it all and nothing seems to shock us. This is not in any way an admirable quality, but a shameful one.

When Elvis Presley appeared on the Ed Sullivan show back in the 60’s, the cameras would only show him from the shoulders up. Now compare that event with MTV on television, where very little is left to the imagination in the vulgar movements of modern dance. When Clark Gable uttered a “mild” oath in “Gone With The Wind,” it caused a nationwide sensation. In today’s society, obscenities and vulgar words are common place in the movies, and no one seems too disturbed about it.

Beloved, we are not ashamed of what we ought to be ashamed of. For example, skimpy, short, tight, revealing, and suggestive attire is worn without any sense of shame by the “modern” woman. Language that never used to be uttered in the presence of a lady has now become the common vocabulary of women. Sexual perversion that was “once in the closet” is now no longer offensive to people.

As Christians, some of us are ashamed of letting people know we are Christians, and that we stand for moral integrity and purity. But our Lord said: “….whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation the Son of Man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).

As we associate with non-Christians, are we ashamed of our Lord and His words? Let us make certain we’re not ashamed of our Lord nor of His soul-saving gospel (Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:8; cf. Psalm 40:8-10).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets