Quotes on Shame from: When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch

Notes from Lori are in parenthesis.

Page 66 "Shame is something that we do to ourselves and is done to us." (The shame we do to ourselves is caused by our own sin. The shame done to us is done by others through acts of victimization.)


Page 66 "Jesus was sentenced to death in the most shameful manner possible - naked and on a cross. He felt shame, but he was innocent. He suffered the shame of others that was placed on him."

Page 67 "God extends his compassion and his mighty, rescuing arm to take away shame. Jesus both experienced shame and took our shame on himself, so shame no longer defines us. In fact, by grace through faith, it is no longer part of us. Then, in an act that seems inconceivable, God goes a step further: he marries and exalts those who once were shamed."

Isa. 54:4-5 Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of you widowhood. For you Maker is you husband - the Lord Almighty is his name - the Holy One of Israel is you Redeemer.

Page 67 - 68 "For every one look at myself I must take ten looks at Jesus. I must meditate on these loving promises from the mouth of God. If I think that I am beyond grace, I should be corrected. Such thinking is based on the unbiblical assumption that our works can either keep us away from God or move us towards him. It is a denial of grace itself. It suggests that there is some righteous act I must perform in order to meet God halfway. This, however, has nothing to do with to gospel of Jesus. The gospel is only available to people who know they are unclean."

(I find it interesting that all forms of suffering have shame that accompanies the suffering. I don't like using words like "all" but in my experience this is true. Suffering can include depression, loss of job, anxiety, loss of someone you love, illness, etc. There seems to be an assumption that we did something wrong or that for some reason, God's favor isn't with us. It is the shame associated with suffering that causes us to isolate ourselves just when we need others the most. )