Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2
The world is attempting to press us into a mold. One of the strategies people use is shame. The Bible was written in an honor/shame culture. Shame is a commodity given by a group to enforce certain behavior. We should feel shame when we are guilty before God. But there are things for which we should not feel shame. Indeed peer pressure by other kids often attempts to shame our young people into doing non-Christian activities. “You don’t drink? You don’t do drugs? Don’t be a loser.” These kids are trying to shame the other kids into a certain behavior.
The cross was similar. Today’s executions are private. But to achieve the maximum shame, Jesus was crucified in public, either naked or with very little on. He was mocked by the leaders. He was alone, deserted by his friends. Only his mother and a few women were left. The hope was that the shame of the cross would change the behavior of other would be criminals.
But instead of feeling the shame of the cross, Jesus scorned it. Scorn is “Contempt of disdain felt toward a person or object considered despicable or unworthy.” So while the leaders were attempting to shame Jesus by public humiliation, he did not receive their shame; he scorned their shame.
In a similar way, when someone attempts to shame you with a godly standard you have decided upon, don’t receive their shame. Don’t let shame alight on you for doing right. Scorn it. Jesus scorned the shame of the cross. Scorn the shame that others will give you for following Jesus.
Similarly, if we are a parent teaching our children to walk in an anti-Christian world, we need to teach them to actively scorn any shaming they receive. Jesus did. His Spirit inside gives us the power to do likewise.
