Psalm 25:1-3 - No Shame.

Psalm 25 - 1-3 What it Means to Me.

In you, Lord my God,

I put my trust.

I trust in you;

do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one who hopes in you

will ever be put to shame,

but shame will come on those

who are treacherous without cause.

As I was reading I noticed how many times the word "shame" came up in the first few verses. It says if we hope in God we will never be put to shame. Yet, Corrie Ten Boom experienced the shame of public nudity in a concentration camp. Jesus hung naked on the cross. Sexually abused children and adults feel shame. So, what do these verses mean?

I believe it means our hope and trust in God will never bring shame. He will save us for eternity. 

Also, if someone abuses a child, it is the abuser who should be full of shame -not the child. If someone oppresses me, the oppressor should be ashamed - not me. There is no shame in any kind of suffering for Christ or for the good of the world.

"I'm Not Good Enough."

"Blessed are the poor in Spirit." Matthew 5:3

Do you feel you could never be a Christian because you are too bad and have done too many evil or mean things? Do you feel you could never be good enough to be a Christian?

I have had people say this to me. I've had family members tell me God couldn't love them because they have done terrible things. They know God loves what is good, therefore they believe God couldn't love them because they are bad.

Actually, people who say these things are at the door of salvation. They are closer than a well-behaved person who does not pray or rely on God. They are standing at the gates of heaven.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in Spirit." He meant people are fortunate to know they are bad and have done bad things. He meant these people are fortunate to know they cannot change and become better.

Jesus also said, "Without me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5)  Nothing is nothing. We can't do one simple good thing without Jesus helping us do it. All good comes from God; therefore any good we do is from Him.

Jesus told a story of a man who was poor in Spirit. While a teacher of the law stood apart and told God all the good things he was doing, there was a tax collector near him who prayed, "God be merciful to me, for I am a sinner."

Jesus said the tax collector went home forgiven and saved. The teacher of God's law did not. He wasn't poor in Spirit. He was proud of all the good he did.