You ought to be ashamed...

"Shaming" is a thing these days.

Many of us have seen the funny posts with picture after picture of a cat or dog with a sign declaring what "shameful" thing they have done, like the cat who sat and watched a mouse eat her food, or the dog who grabbed the last piece of chicken off the serving tray when nobody was watching.  We laugh at these because, honestly, a lot of them are hilarious.

Then there are the less funny ones, like parents who publicly shame their children as a form of punishment, or worse, who publicly shame their children for their own amusement.  Mom-shaming is also a thing.  According to UrbanDictionary.com, mom shaming is "criticizing or degrading a mother for her parenting choices because they differ from the choices the shamer would make." (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mom-shaming).  These are only a couple of examples.  There are many more out there.

Generally, especially as Christians, we look on these things as bad.  We should, because they are.  "Shaming" like that is degrading and malicious.  I could spend the rest of this post talking about the "hows and whys" of it, but that's not why I'm writing today.  Today, I am writing because of the ways we SHOULD be shaming.

"WHAT???"

Yes, you read that right.

Ephesians 5:11-12 says, "Don't participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.  For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret." (Emphasis mine.)

Shameful.  Even the mention of those sinful acts is considered to be full of shame.  According  to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, shame is defined as "a painful emotion caused by a consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety." (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shame).  As Christians, we are directed to be "imitators of God" (Eph. 5:1), and to stay away from things like sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscene and foolish talking, crude joking, etc. (Eph. 5:3-5).  The culture we live in, though, thrives on these things, with no shame.  Christian, I would venture to say that at least a portion of this is because we no longer view or address them as shameful.

Now, I'm not saying that we should be "shaming" the sinner.  Not the way the world "shames" people.  Again, it is malicious and degrading and hateful.  We are called to love, not to hate.  To quote a catchphrase from my childhood, "Hate the sin, but love the sinner."

Instead, we need to be addressing the sin itself as shameful.  STOP LOOKING THE OTHER WAY!!!  When we laugh at the crude jokes, take advantage of someone financially, watch cruelty and violence without taking action (whether it's on TV, on social media, in person, or whatever), et cetera, we are condoning those things, giving them our seal of approval, which is the exact opposite of acknowledging or expressing their shame.  You know what else, Christian?  When you do that, you are telling people that God approves of those actions, which is a bold-faced LIE.  You think I'm being extreme in saying that?  Let's check scripture...

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us.  We plead on Christ's behalf: 'Be reconciled to God.'" - 2 Cor 5:20

Back to the dictionary.  Ambassador, according to Merriam-Webster, means "an official envoy especially: a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambassador)

As Christ's ambassadors, everything we do represents Him.  We even meet the "special and... temporary" part of the definition.  We are only on this earth for a short time, and have a very specific and special mission to make disciples.  Condoning shameful, sinful behavior hurts that mission.

Maybe you've thought briefly about this before.  Maybe you haven't.  Either way, now you're faced a decision to make... which path are you going to walk?  Are you going to look the other way, condoning sinful and shameful behavior?  Or are you going to take a stand for your mission?

Prepared to work!

Here we go, talking about works again...

Still reading in Ephesians, in chapter 4 today. One of the things I love about Scripture is that the Holy Spirit points out something new each time we read it. I've read through this passage more times than I can count, but I got something out of it today that I haven't before. In verses 11-12, I've always focused on the fact that we each have unique spiritual gifts, and each have our own individual focus. Today, though, the phrase "to prepare God's people for works of service" is what hit me like a ton of bricks.

This goes back to my post from Thursday, on Ephesians 2:10. We each have a job to do! Just like we each have our own unique set of spiritual gifts, and our own unique purpose, we also each have our own unique "works of service" that we are intended by God to do. That's part of WHY He gives us those spiritual gifts in the first place! Of course, ultimately, our purpose is to bring Him glory, but one of the ways we are to do this is by serving others. Those works that I mentioned a few days ago, that we are supposed to do after we are saved, include works of service. What that service work looks like depends on you. Pray about it. Ask God where He wants you to serve. That won't be enough, though, because here comes the hard part...

Once you know what that service is, you have to go do it. Some times it will come easily, out of joy, and it will be a pure act of love and not feel like work at all. Other times, though, it will be scary, and you will face opposition and persecution. That, my friend, is the devil, trying to stop you from serving. Remember the words of Jesus in John 15:18, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." Where do you think that hatred comes from? It comes from the evil one, who wants everyone else he can get to burn with him for the rest of eternity. Stay strong! Remember something else Jesus said: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)

Saved for works

Many of us are familiar with the passage in Ephesians that says "For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift - not from works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-9) And it's so true. There is nothing we can *do* to earn salvation. Nothing we do could ever be enough to pay the death penalty for our sins.

Don't miss the next verse, though... "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do." (Eph 2:10) In other words, once we're saved, that's not the end of our time or mission here on earth. We still have work to do!

Remember that we aren't saved by our works. Rather, we work because of our salvation. Find that work that you are called to do. Do every bit of it for God's glory. "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)