Laughing at Our Shame

Please forgive me if I don’t share every grimy detail of my life with you. I know I have shared some pretty personal things here in blog world, but there is still room for discretion, especially on the world wide web.

This past weekend has been a time for me to reflect on some of the differences between the person I was, versus the man that I am in Christ. A close personal friend of mine recently brought up one of the more shameful moments of my life. It’s not the kind of story that I want to share with you. In her defense, the friend in question had no way of knowing that her comments would take me back to such an embarrassing time.

You see, at one point in time, my moment of shame used to be my very crown and glory. You have heard similar acts of heroism have you not? In his letter to the believers in Philippi, Paul makes mention of people whose, “god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.” Philippians 3:19

For some people, this life really is all that there is. Do you know people like that? Are you that kind of person? Were you that kind of person? Thankfully, Paul doesn’t name names. (How embarrassing would that be?) He just talks about a type of people; people whose appetites are their god. Much of their talk and thought life revolves around their gut. They are proud of the very things that bring dishonor to their name. They laugh at their own stupidity. Horrible people. The scourge of the earth.

Do you know who these people are? It’s rather strange how it all unfolded, but the very things that I used to hold up as my crowning glory have become the very things that I would like stricken from the record. It isn’t that I have turned over a new leaf or cleaned up my act. I am a new person in Christ.

I guess this is part of the reason why we’re often so resistant to God’s redemptive work and call on our lives. The things that we often view as being our greatest human achievements are the very same things that are detestable in God’s sight. I guess I’m a prude, but I really don’t like being laughed at for my own stupidity anymore. I don’t mind being ridiculed for being one of those cross-kissers. I can handle being mocked for something I know to be good, honorable and right, but it isn’t much fun to be laughed at for getting piss drunk and eating a pound of live goldfish.

(If that sounds rude, you’re quite right. That’s kind of the point. It is rude.)

As for the problem with the people that Paul is speaking on, the fact that they like watching the cooking channel really isn’t the problem. The problem is a heart problem.

You can do whatever you want. You really can. The reality however, is that our actions reveal our true character. If your actions reveal that you are a, adulterer, a drunk, a pot-head, a liar, a slanderer or a gossiper, are you fine with that? Perhaps you are fine with that. Perhaps it’s even funny, if not your own personal crown.

Its fine to be a drunk or a liar as long as we laugh isn’t it? Above the door jamb of our hunting camp, there is a sign that reads, “Hunters, fishermen and other liars gather here.” It’s the kind of sign that makes most people smile or chuckle a little bit, because we all know that fishermen love to embellish their heroic catch. As long as we can laugh at it, it’s ok.

There are different ways to brag about our personal shame. Liars sometimes pride themselves on their personal skill of being able to keep a straight face. Swindlers might tell of the way that they really scammed someone in their latest transaction. Drinking stories tend to take on the form of skill and bravery.

As for my personal shame, I’ll leave you guessing. All I’ll say is this;

It’s just not funny anymore.