Signs Of Being Ashamed Of Christ

1. Concealment

First, then, I wish to speak about its revelation, about the way in which this shame of Christ betrays itself: and the first feature that rises before me is concealment.

Is there any man or woman of whom you are ashamed? Think of them and call up their names while I am speaking.

Well, however else your shame may show itself, it will at least have this mark--you are ashamed to be seen with them in public.

In private, that is a different matter: you have no objection to meeting them in private.

In the pressure of a great crowd, that is a different matter, for any two may be cast together in a crowd. 

But when you are ashamed of a man you are ashamed of being openly seen with him, you are ashamed of walking in broad daylight through the streets with him; and as that is a feature of all shame between man and man, it is a mark of the man ashamed of Christ.

Remember we may be ashamed of Christ although in the quiet hour we pray in secret.

Remember we may be ashamed of Him although at the stated times we come to church.

For in the one case - in private prayer there is a solitude, and in other - in public worship is a crowd; and neither in solitude nor in the throng is the shame or glory of the heart detected.

It is as we walk through the streets of daily life; it is as we take up our task in homely scenes; it is as we go about our work and mingle with our friends - it is there that our heart's loyalty shall be seen.

If we honor Christ men will perceive the friendship. If we are ashamed of Him we shall conceal it.

2. Silence

The second feature of all shame is silence. There is a close and mysterious tie between the two.

The feeling of shame whenever it is operative has a way of putting a seal upon the lips.

A child will babble and prattle all day long, and spin out a history about its small adventures; but let it do anything of which it is ashamed, and not a word will it speak concerning that.

How many homes there are in which one son or daughter has come to disgrace, till the parents' hearts are breaking!

Does the stranger entering that home talk of the prodigal?

Is not that the one name that is never mentioned?

There are ceaseless yearnings and there are secret prayers rising to heaven daily for the wanderer; but mingling with every thought of him is shame, and one great witness of that shame is silence.

Now far be it from me even to suggest that all our silence about Christ is such.

There is a reserve which is dignified and right when we move among august and holy things.

Still, hours will come in every Christian life when confession is imperative and clearly called for, and if in such hours there be not speech but silence, the silence is the stamp and sign of shame.
     
3. Avoidance

The third witness of shame lies in avoidance. We avoid instinctively what we are ashamed of.

When an architect has designed a building of which he is proud, I can imagine his delight in looking at it.

I can imagine him going out of his way by half a dozen streets just to get one more glimpse of his conception.

But let the building be a failure, and the man ashamed of it - he is not eager to feast his eyes upon it. 

Now he does all in his power to avoid it, and he avoids it because he is ashamed.

I fancy that most of us know places such as that, for we are all the architects of our own fortunes: places that are disgraced for us by wretched memories, tarnished and desecrated by some sin; and we too, as we journey through the years, are glad to avoid such scenes, and we avoid them because we are ashamed. 

Avoidance is one sign and seal of shame. Can it be said of you that you are avoiding Christ?

If so, however you may explain it to yourself, depend upon it you are ashamed of Him.

~George H. Morrison~