Shame RX: Pride fuels shame, but humility extinguishes it.
Proverbs 11:2
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
Shame seems like the antithesis for pride, right? We think embarrassment has more to do with feelings of humiliation than boasting, but pride is there, goading us on to feel the shame in the first place. With an over emphasis on self (pride), we cave to shame and try to cover our shame so we are not exposed.
Shame as a parent? Shame from appearance? Pride. We want to look perfect to everyone on the outside. The typical response and/or method to shame removal? Pride. We cannot cover or hide shame, and shame will not disappear with pride. Pride fuels shame, but humility extinguishes it.
“Pride keeps us from admitting that we might have shame to own up to. It also prevents us from ridding ourselves of false shame. Somehow, we forget that it is only God’s grace in us that makes us righteous and we can revert back to the tendency of trying to earn our righteous standing. But denying shame will not make us righteous. Confessing our shame with humility enables us to grasp what we need to and let go of what we don’t.
“When shame is becoming more entrenched within our souls, we begin to respond to it with pride. We become desperate to eradicate shame and our association with it. Gloating about our shame or the opposite—minimizing it and boasting about something in us that is “less shameful”—cannot rid us of shame. Trying to achieve great things to shadow the less than glowing areas in our lives only leaves us empty. Faking it will never truly cover shame and pride only produces more shame.” (Shame Off You)
Owning up to shame or being unafraid to examine shame through a biblical lens is what frees us. Let’s ditch the pride – Christ is our righteousness. We never could be enough on our own! Shame Off You, friends!
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