A Moment With Shame

After last night's Heidicction Live, I want to take a moment and discuss shame.

In simple terms (which, let's face it are the only terms this girl thinks in), shame is feeling badly about WHO we ARE and guilt is feeling badly about WHAT we DO.

Shame does not come from God.

Of this, I testify.

Come and walk with me for a minute or two...

Through the Village of Wemmicks, as described by Max Lucado.

The Wemmick Village was full of wooden people going about their daily routines, as you do.

One young wooden boy, named Punichello, noticed that everyone had stickers on them.

Stars and dots.

Some had stars, while others had dots.

There wasn't a blending of the stickers, People.

How did the stickers get onto the Wemmicks, you ask?

Other Wemmicks put them there.

Punichello had also noticed one wooden person in particular. Her name was Lucia.

(I want to be Lucia when I grow up)

Somehow, Lucia didn't have any stickers.

At all.

Like, she was naked.

And happy.

Giddy, in fact.

(I knew there was something to never wearing clothes!!)

Any who, one day Punichello asked Lucia where her stickers were.

And by the way Punichello was covered in stickers of the dot kind.

Lucia told him that she doesn't have any because they simply don't stick to her.

Then, she suggested that her little friend go to the top of the hill and visit the Wood Carver.

So, let's all climb the hill to the Wood Carver for a moment.

After all, mountains are meant to be climbed.

Punichello opened the door (which I picture to be larger than life - meant for giants and such).

He became scared, as you do, and tried to hurry out... until he heard a voice.

I imagine a booming sound similar to James Earl Jones.

"Punichello (put your name in place here... JUST DO IT), I've been waiting for you."

Punichello responds, "You know my name?" (I imagine I'd ask the same thing)

"Of course I know your name. I made you," responds James Earl Jones A.K.A. the Wood Carver (and YOURS too)

Now, here's the back story on these pesky little stickers.

Stars represent that you are pretty much awesome-sauce - you can do tricks, your wood isn't dented or cut or scraped... you are a good-looking and well-like wooden person.

The dots, on the other hand, represent that people don't think much of you - you are talent-less, ugly, damaged, broken, and no one likes you. Not even a little bit. And you aren't too fond of your dang self either.

The Wood Carver responds with a bit of a James Earl Jones chuckle and says, "Lucia's stickers don't stick because she doesn't care what other people think. She only cares about what I think. So, when people put stickers on her (stars or dots), they just fall right off."

Punichello was pretty curious about this.

The Wood Carver suggested that Punichello visit often so that he would know how the Maker felt about him and care less about what other people felt about him.

Before Punichello left out the door (and, spoiler alert - a few stickers fell off of him), the Wood Carver mentioned, "I made you. And, I don't make mistakes."

Did you hear that? From the top of the hill, in the Wood Carver's shop... 

He made you. And He doesn't make mistakes.

Now, back to shame.

Shame is not a human emotion that any human should feel.

Guilt? Yes.

Guilt is a feeling we have when we DO something wrong.

It is the emotion that tells us we should be sorry, and not repeat it.

Shame is an emotion designated for feeling that WE are wrong.

That there is something wrong with US.

That feeling is not only unnecessary, it is a lie.

And, it doesn't come from the wood carver OR from James Earl Jones - pretty sure.

So, when we begin to feel shame - even a little spark - even enough to make a dot sticker stay on our bodies or our spirits -

We need to stop.

In the name of love.

We need to stop.

And tell the true story to ourselves.

We are enough.

We are worthy.

We have infinite value.

Because we are His.

And He doesn't make mistakes.