Posting at 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting
Today, I am posting over at 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting on the topic of gospel parenting. Parenting is hard and many of us feel guilt or shame for how well we are doing as parents. Check out my thoughts here
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What's playing on the radio?
Here is the second of a new installment on songs on the radio clearly and emphatically preaching/teaching grace. Today is a song that I loved the first time I heard it. It has only recently begun playing on the radio. It is called "Grace Wins" by Matthew West. In my weakest moment I see you Shaking your head in disgrace I can read the disapointment Written all over your face Here comes those whispers in my ear Saying who do you think you are Looks like you're on your own from here Cause grace could never reach that far But, in the shadow of that shame Beat down by all the blame I hear you call my name sayin it's not over And my heart starts to beat So loud now, drowning out the doubt I'm down but I'm not out There's a war between guilt and grace And they're fighting for a sacred space But I'm living proof Grace wins every time No more lying down in death's defeat Now I'm rising up in victory Singing hallelujah ...
Guilt and Shame
Do you struggle with either of these? I know I do. I appreciated the thoughts from Matt Chandler in Recovering Redemption on these real life issues all of us face. I encourage you to read the quotes and then pick up the book at your local Christian bookstore. While both of them (guilt, shame) do indicate the falling short of some kind of standard, the one that guilt fails to meet is more often a clear moral code, a legality. The standard that shame fails to meet on the other hand, goes much deeper to the core of who we really are. Our identity. Guilt is more about what we do; shame is more about who we are. It's important to see this distinction. Guilt (robbing us of innocence) and shame (robbing us of honor) are the double helix that creates the DNA of our worst behavior. Shame is deeply rooted in identity. And the "self-ideal" we create for ourselves can often incorporate a lot of expectations that simply aren't included in God's ideal for us. Guilt ...