No one who hopes in the LORD will ever be put to shame.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.Psalm 25:3a, 34:5
Much of what we fear is shame, embarrassment, disgrace, or ridicule.
Ashamed of being wrong, doing wrong, ashamed of having a misguided trust or hope.
This stuff is real. We feel it deeply because it touches the center of who we are as people. Shame or no-shame revolves around what we believe about God and what we believe about ourselves.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God states:
…Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.
…Those who wait for me will not be put to shame.
Isa 28:16, 49:23b
God has a particular passion for his name: That his name would be honored. He never allows his name to be shamed. It simply does not happen because God is the highest Being and therefore cannot be shamed.
Neither does he allow those who trust in his name to be put to shame.
This does not mean life is perfect and we sail through on flowery beds of ease. In fact, much of life is difficult and often looks completely different than what we envision. Just the same, those whose hope is in the LORD, will never have the shadow of shame darken their faces.
I believe this for myself.
I believe this for my children.
As our children grow into young adulthood, it seems to be a continual letting go. I watch them grow, change, and make choices, and it is difficult to step back and allow them space to process on their own. To learn on their own. I choose to trust in God as I grow in this parenting thing.
Religion, self-help books, great conferences, godly teaching, or even homeschool cannot be relied upon. I cannot trust in my upbringing, my great habits of self-discipline, or anything other than the person of Jesus Christ. I can only trust in the solid foundation of who Jesus Christ is: The Way, the Truth, the Light.
I constantly find myself talking to the Father in sentences like “God, pursue these children. They are yours. Change them. Bless them.”
If I am trusting in anything else, in any aspect of life, it is a misguided trust.
Proverbs tells us that ‘money can make wings for itself and fly away’. Imagine that! Can’t trust in money.
Safety is of the LORD, not the specs of a vehicle.
Health is not a guarantee of long life.
Reading the Bible each day to my children does not ensure their salvation or mature behavior.
Getting a diagnosis from the best medical specialist will not necessarily cure my sickness.
This stuff is important and can be a part of the foundation, but that Rock is Jesus Christ. It is in him that we are to hope and trust.
The kids and I are reading through the book of Esther right now. Queen Esther put her trust in the Lord. She refused to rely on her position as Queen for her salvation. Guess what? God did not allow her to be ashamed. He rescued her and her people because they hoped in the Lord.
It is the same with us today.
Hope [in Christ] does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:5No one who hopes in the LORD will ever be put to shame.
Psalm 25:3a
You wish to circumvent shame?
Put your trust in the Lord.