In Hebrew, the word for ‘shame’ goes beyond feeling embarrassed for yourself. It’s about hoping in something foolish; (false gods are sometimes called “shame”). It’s the anguish you feel when both you and the things in which you have trusted, are exposed. Idols are “things of shame” – false sources of confidence and identity. But their shame is contagious – they make us shameful too! Here’s the cycle: We go to shameful things to feel OK. They make us feel even more shameful, so …Read More
“Do not worry”, says Jesus in the sermon on the mount (verse reference, Matthew 6:25-34). So we worry, (or at least, I do). We worry to start with, because that’s who we are. And then we read this verse … and worry MORE, because we’re disobeying God. Telling us not to do something only shows us how impossible it is to obey. Like telling ourselves to “be purple”. No amount of willpower makes it better. So what do we do, when we can’t …Read More
Yesterday’s post was entitled Grace versus Justice – but a lovely blog reader has (rightly) pulled me up on it; because they are not opposed. So along with the original post, I’ve added her comments, and tried to clarify with some of my own. Here’s what I’d originally written: … Justice arrives 45 minutes early, wearing a scowl. Then she outstays her welcome by several years. Grace whisks you away for a weekend break. She’s arranged your babysitters and insists on paying. Justice hollers from the sidelines, …Read More
Grace and justice. Who’s more fun at a party? Grace every time, right? But who do we invite over when it’s our turn to host? Justice. Justice arrives 45 minutes early, wearing a scowl. Then she outstays her welcome by several years. Grace whisks you away for a weekend break. She’s arranged your babysitters and insists on paying. Justice hollers from the sidelines, “Harder, faster, stronger, not like that!” then pulls you from the team with a sigh of exasperation. Grace doesn’t seem to have noticed your match-losing incompetence. She’s …Read More
We’ve just finished watching the series ’13 Reasons Why.’ It’s about a teenage girl, Hannah, who kills herself; and the 13 people she blames for her decision. My feelings on it are mixed. It graphically depicts issues such as self-harm, rape, addiction and suicide; all of which need to be discussed. It also teaches us how to spot warning signs in vulnerable teenagers and to ask, ‘what would I do? How could I have helped?’ These are vital questions; but there …Read More
