SHAME ON US

When among friends or family, do you spread the good word,
Or do you feel shame when Jesus's name is heard.
If you do, don't fear your not alone,
For shame eats through the church, clean to the bone.

Do you cover your praises from everyone's ears,
When you should shout for joy, not caring who hears.
If this sounds like you don't panic my friend,
For shame is a lion that tears and rends.

Is your Bible laid out for the whole world to see,
Or is it hidden from those who need to be free.
If your guilty like me, don't pout or frown,
For shame is a party goer out on the town.

Did you fold under pressure and follow the world,
March behind Satan with his flag unfurled.
Keep your chin up, there's hope for you yet,
For shame is a loan shark collecting a debt.

When the urge comes upon you to shut your mouth tight,
Resist it and fight it with all of your might.
For God's Word tells us not to fear,
So the way ahead is open and clear.

When praising the Lord for all he has done,
Ignore and rebuke the compulsion to shun.
To keep you from worship is the enemies task,
So tread on his toes and in glory you'll bask.

Leave your Bible in places where it's bound to be seen,
And with envy and jealousy the Enemy turns green.
For his tricks and his lies cant compete with the truth,
Shame is brushed off like plaque from a tooth.

If you live on the world but don't live within,
You'll build a resistance to evil and sin.
Trust the Lord's wisdom, his guidance and advice,
Crush the head of the Serpent without thinking twice.

You see shame is but one of a countless horde,
That will endlessly nag at you and never get bored.
So lets pull up our shoulders and lift up our heads,
And be counted as living, giving shame up for dead.

AUTHORS NOTE:
That nagging feeling of embarrassment when you are witnessing or the crippling shame you feel when someone sees you reading your Bible and starts to laugh. Sound familiar??? It does to me. I get convicted whenever I read this poem, shame is just one of my many weaknesses. Although I can't help but wonder why, because shame is just a little Demon, (with a big mouth), one of many who's task is to divert us from God's work. I'm certain that to overcome this, (which we must do), we have to do the opposite of what we feel at the time. Just trust in the power God has given us, defeat pride and tell it as it is regardless of what is said to us. If we can do it just once, shame will be defeated.