“Male and Female created he them.” “They were naked and unashamed”
In creating Man and Woman God is taking his creating skills to a grand finale. After Man and Woman there will be no more creating. From the first life in the sea to the man and woman a billion years later, God’s creating is finished- at least for us here on earth. God has created Creativity!!! From now on all living things will procreate according to their particular nature.
But there are some rules to be followed. And herein lies the first tragedy. And it is this tragedy, not their nakedness that leads to shame. And it is not guilt but shame that they experience as they eat the forbidden fruit.
Shame is defined as a profound and multifaceted emotion that permeates the human experience. It is often described as a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behaviour. While it shares similarities with other emotions such as guilt and embarrassment, shame is unique in its intensity and its focus on the self. In other words, shame cuts deep into the soul. In a very real sense, guilt is easier to manage and get over.
Shame is self-punishment. It is this all-loving creator God that they must hide away from. Now the God against whom they have sinned is the very one who comes to rescue them while they are in hiding and sheds the blood of animals to make them clothing. No one else can save them from themselves.
This kind of experience is so central to the human situation that it should come first at the start of our relationship with God today. This complex feeling of failure in relationship is the most primal of our human self-awareness. It is our sense of shame that keeps us from God – as the prodigal son, who, when he did return, wanted to be a servant, not a son. It is the father who takes away his shame. It is God who fully reinstates us.
WE are NOT reinstated to a system of faith, however noble that system might be. We are not freed only to be captured again by some other idol. “If the Son has set you free, you shall be free indeed.” We might choose to join a Church, as much as anything else where we might give expression to our newfound freedom.
Forgiveness, both of oneself and others, plays a crucial role in mitigating the effects of shame. By forgiving oneself, individuals can release the burden of past mistakes and move towards self-acceptance and growth. Similarly, acceptance from others, especially from those who are significant in one’s life, can provide reassurance and help rebuild a positive self-image.
Soon we will remember Calvary, Jesus dying to free us from our shame!
With Grace and Peace,
Mike Crockett
Ref. J.D.Davies “Beginning Now.”