Sharing His Glory

What is the opposite of shame? I think that what is closest to being antithetical to shame is glory.

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10)

Notice, Jesus was bringing many sons to glory. He bore our shame so that we might share His glory. Some of us have backgrounds of which we are ashamed—filled with things we have never fully gotten over, events that haunt and disturb us. These negative thoughts and painful memories hinder those moments when we want to worship and praise God. Just remember that Jesus, naked for three hours on the cross, bore our shame completely so that we might share His glory.

I once spoke in Holland about Jesus bearing our shame, and a Dutch woman sent me her testimony as a response. As a young girl, she had been sexually abused—gang raped by a group of young boys—and also suffered further sexual molestation. Later, she married, but her marriage was not happy because of the deep bitterness in her heart against men. She could not escape the shame of what she had endured. Then, the Lord did something wonderful.

Sitting alone in her bedroom, she had a vision of Jesus on the cross, absolutely naked. She realized two things: first, that He had borne her shame; and second, that He was a man. Though she was so bitter against men, she realized it was a Man who paid the penalty of her shame. Isn’t that beautiful? Bear in mind that Jesus, naked on the cross, was exposed to the jeers and taunts of passersby. It was the primary object of crucifixion, and Jesus endured it all.