Shame is extremely destructive and it can make people feel guilty and unworthy, like they do not deserve to be blessed, says popular Christian speaker and author Joel Osteen.
"We've all heard the phrase 'shame on you,' and most have heard it from early childhood. Maybe you didn't clean your room and you were told, 'Shame on you!' You were mean to your little sister, 'Shame on you!' Even as adults, we may not hear it out loud, but it plays in our thoughts," Osteen writes on his blog. "It's used to try to convince people to do better, but really, shame does just the opposite."
When a young woman once told Osteen how ashamed she felt when she had a baby as a teenager, then gave it up for adoption, Osteen reminded her that God already made a huge sacrifice just to get the feeling of shame off her.
"Whether it was your fault or somebody else's, you don't have to carry the heavy load of guilt, beating yourself up, feeling wrong on the inside. When the enemy says, 'Shame on you,' God says, 'Shame off you. I've forgiven you. I've redeemed you. I've made you valuable!'" Osteen says.
Osteen wants people to remember that what they did or did not do does not determine their worth, and what they did or did not do to themselves does not equate to the same thing either. The "enemy" or the "accuser" would love nothing more than for people to beat themselves up over every mistake, failure, and even things that aren't their fault. But God has already removed people's shame through Jesus Christ.
"Your worth comes from your Creator, the Most High God who breathed His life into you. He crowned you with His favour. He calls you a masterpiece. Don't go around ashamed, guilty or condemned; shake that off! If you've made a mistake, repent and do better. The next time you think, 'Shame on you,' remember that Jesus paid a great price to take shame off you!" he says.
