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Practical Reflections on Honor and Shame in Scripture

Christian Devotionals, Christian Personal Growth, Christian Spiritual
Growth

Co-Author: Ryan Jensen

Date Published: September 27, 2022

Publisher: Lucid Books

Honor and shame influence every major aspect of life, whether in
relationships, politics, or social media. It’s not surprising, then, to find
that honor and shame shape the biblical message and all that Christians are
called to be. Unfortunately, many leaders and laypersons do not grasp the
theological and practical significance of these concepts for the
church.

Therefore, this book provides an accessible entry point for engaging these
topics in everyday Christian living. Seeking God’s Face contains 101
practical reflections on honor and shame taken from across the pages of
Scripture. It presents honor and shame, not as abstract concepts, but as
compelling issues that affect evangelism, spiritual formation, and
discipleship. Seeking God’s Face equips readers to interpret the biblical
text faithfully and apply its message meaningfully.

EXCERPT

Kids often dream of having at least 15 minutes of fame. Such duration now sounds like an eternity. In our age of social media, at best we can wish for 15 seconds of fame (and hopefully not infamy). Rather than becoming an astronaut or lawyer, surveys show that nearly one-third of American kids want to be “YouTube famous.”39 Curating one’s personal “brand” is seen as the pathway to wealth and happiness. How a small glimmer of truth misleads us into a haze of falsehood!

Ecclesiastes offers sobering insight, noting that the world offers us more futility than fairytales. It’s in this reality check that we find wisdom. The vision for life in Ecclesiastes contrasts the delusional ambitions for fame that mark our age. Yet, it offers a balanced perspective that’s rooted in the real world. On the one hand, the writer acknowledges the value of a name, “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death, than the day of birth” (Eccles. 7:1). Proverbs 22:1 agrees, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” Our reputations precede us. They open and shut doors of opportunity.

On the other hand, no one will remember most of us in just a few generations. Few people know anything about their own first or second great-grandparents, much less their names. Ecclesiastes shows the vanity of a name, “The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them” (Eccles. 1:11; cf. 9:5). Neither glorious achievement (2:9–11) nor profound wisdom (2:16; 9:15–16) can prevent this inevitable slide into anonymity.

Why then are we constantly allured by the deceptive promises of fame? In part, we confuse being known and praised with being loved. Yet, something else may lurk deeper within our hearts. For some, the desire for celebrity is a grasping for eternity. We begin to think we’ll be immortalized if only others remember our names. If we’re not forgotten, it’s as if we’ll live forever; social media fame becomes a virtual form of eternal life. When it comes to reputation, wisdom discerns value from mere vanity.

About the Author

Jackson Wu (pseudonym; PhD, SEBTS) is the theologian in residence with
Global Training Network. He worked in East Asia for almost two decades,
teaching theology and missiology to Chinese pastors. His books include One
Gospel for All Nations, Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes, and The Cross in
Context. His blog is jacksonwu.org.

Ryan Jensen lived in East Asia for five years while he taught at a
university. He earned a PhD in Intercultural Studies from Biola University,
and he holds an MA in Intercultural Studies and Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages (TESOL) from Wheaton College. Connect with Ryan at
drryanjensen.com.

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