Wild Child

Psalm 139:2 (NLT) —

‘You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.’

Have you ever felt so much shame over something, you fear God can’t use you or walk with you? Enter in Rahab. Rahab bore one of the most damaging and shame-inducing labels society had and still has today...prostitute. Society back then would have shunned her completely. But Rahab was not overlooked by God. He saw beyond her shame. Risking her life, she protected Joshua's spies entering Jericho. She was not only redeemed but through this prostitute eventually came the Son of God. 

What inspires me about Rahab is that she didn’t hide who she was. She knew who she was, who God was and that he would help her. She stepped out in courage. She was judged, and has been since, but God saw beyond what she had done. Brené Brown once said, ‘We desperately don’t want to experience shame, and we’re not willing to talk about it. Yet the only way to resolve shame is to talk about it... Most of us like safety, certainty, and clarity. Shame and love are grounded in vulnerability and tenderness.’

When Jesus found me, I was living under a massive cloud of shame and pain. My shame...I was me. A rebellious teen who was hiding behind a wall of bright pink hair, black clothes and loud angry music. I favoured the punk/goth/skater movement and loved feeling a part of that community. We were all masking something, all hiding things from each other and ourselves at times. I dared to be vulnerable with a trusted person and my shame began to shrink. I dared hope God might accept me. God did not plan for us to live in shame; he planned for us to live free from shame. We can by having the courage to be vulnerable with someone we trust.

Prayer - God, give us courage to be vulnerable with a trusted friend or family member. Help us to allow someone we love be vulnerable with us without judgement or an urgency to ‘fix’ them.