Dr. Abjar Bakhou tells about Jason, a committed Christian who witnessed to a middle eastern taxi driver. Jason failed, and the reason is important as pastors prepare sermons and Bible classes and we all seek to grow in knowledge and witness. Jason failed because he used our normal way of presenting Jesus, that Jesus earned forgiveness for our sins. There is right and wrong, there’s sin and punishment but, thank God! Jesus offers us forgiveness. You’re familiar with this way of presenting the Gospel because you’re a product of western culture, but the taxi driver, like an increasing number of people Americans, see life in terms of shame and honor, not in terms of sin and forgiveness.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Matthew 15:21-28, a non-Jewish woman cries, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” Jesus’ response isn’t about sin and forgiveness but about shame and honor. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” AKA, you should be ashamed of yourself because of who you are. “Lord, help me,” she pleads, but Jesus stays on His talking point. “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Look at her comeback! “‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.”
“The majority of shame researchers and clinicians agree that the difference between shame and guilt is best understood as the difference between ‘I am bad’ and ‘I did something bad.’ Guilt = I did something bad. Shame = I am bad.” (Brene Brown, Dare to Lead, 128). Jesus used the human sin of shaming people to draw out a statement of faith. The woman’s faith was rewarded, and the disciples were taught the paramount importance of faith in Jesus. “The honor is for you who believe” (1 Peter 2:7).
Shame and honor easily relate to the forgiveness of sin, which indeed is the heart of biblical faith. When you honor God, you’ll seek to obey Him. When you dishonor God, you’ll disobey His commandments, you’ll sin and need forgiveness. How rich the fullness of the Gospel! Jason discovered that, and awareness of shame and honor can enhance our faith and witness to Jesus.
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