A Nation Without Shame
Do I love God enough to be ashamed? Is my conscience so seared that I can no longer sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit regarding my own sinfulness? What is shame? Webster's defines shame as a disturbed or painful feeling of guilt, incompetence, indecency, or blameworthiness; dishonor; disgrace; something regrettable, unfortunate, or outrageous. I'm actually old enough to remember the very first movie released in theaters that contained a swear word. My parents flatly refused to allow me to see Gone With the Wind because they were outraged that it contained a swear word. Grandmother used to wash my mouth with soap if I said certain words. "Geez" was too close to Jesus, and therefore just like using the Lord's name in vain. "Darn" was too close to "damn." I know for a fact that if she were alive today she would have tears in her eyes to hear how far conversation has changed for the worse.
By what standard do we measure our speech? "Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift." That's Ephesians 4:29 in The Message. In the New American Standard translation it reads as follows: "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." What is foul and dirty? What is unwholesome? What is grace?
Grace is not something we think much about these days, at least not in typical American culture. In fact, I'd say that grace is, for most people, an unknown word! This should not be! Webster's defines grace as favor, esteem, kindness; beauty or charm of form, composition, movement, or expression; elegance with appropriate dignity; an attractive quality, feature, manner, a sense of what is right and proper; decency. My speech should be full of grace. Is it? What is foul or dirty, or unwholesome? I suppose the correct answer to that is anything that is contrary to the beauty and perfection of Jesus Christ. My speech should be full of esteem for others, kindness, beauty or charm of form, composition, movement, or expression, elegant with appropriate dignity; attractive in quality, full of what is right and proper and decent.
Am I careful to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men? (Titus 3:2) Those attributes are contrasted in verse 3. The Message puts the words this way: "It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back." The New American Standard translation says it this way: "For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another."
Do I really love God enough to be ashamed? I think the proof of that will be in my speech! That's a sobering thought. The real truth is that I often love myself much more than I love God, and when I'm thinking and speaking that way I'm a fool, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, and spending my life in malice and envy, hateful toward others. Ah! There's that disturbed or painful feeling of guilt, incompetence, indecency, or blameworthiness; dishonor; disgrace; something regrettable, unfortunate, or outrageous!
From the top down I've included six turtles. They are interesting in many ways. The top turtle is an Eastern Painted Turtle. Second is a Southern Painted Turtle, and following that the Midland Painted Turtle. Next is the Alabama Red-bellied Turtle, and below that the Florida Red-bellied Turtle. Finally we have the Red-bellied Turtle. Although they have similar characteristics, they do not mate with other species. Midland Painted Turtles mate with other Midland Painted Turtles and lay eggs from which come more Midland Painted Turtles. In the scheme of nature each one knows its place. A trained eye can identify which one is which. Although they have similar features, they are quite distinct. So if you look at the next picture you know immediately it doesn't belong in this group!
This turtle is neither pretty nor nice! He or she doesn't make a good pet! I should be able to tell the difference between this Alligator Snapping Turtle and any of the turtles above! So too should I be able to tell when my speech is different! My speech should be full of favor, esteem, kindness; beauty or charm of form, composition, movement, or expression; elegance with appropriate dignity; an attractive quality, feature, manner, a sense of what is right and proper; decency. If it isn't, it's as obvious as this turtle that it is neither pretty nor nice! And when that is true I should feel shame. My shame is not just for me, but rather for my Maker and Lord, Jesus Christ. He did so much for me through grace and mercy. How can I do any less? He died for every person in the world. How can I look at people and try to make them less? So once again I ask: Do I love God enough to be ashamed?
This is one of my favorite photos. Eldon, my grandson, wants to be like Grandpa! I sat on the hope chest, so he joined me, and I had my "Bubba Keg" so he brought his sip cup. I'd like him to reflect all that is full of favor, esteem, kindness; beauty or charm of form, composition, dignity; an attractive quality, feature, manner, a sense of what is right and proper; decent. What will he learn by what I say? Much! It's up to me to be sure it is full of grace, wholesome and good! The Psalmist said it this way in Psalm 119:5-6: "Oh that my ways may be established to keep Your statutes! Then I shall not be ashamed when I look upon all Your commandments. I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments." Please, Lord, help me learn to reflect Your heart in my speech!
