One morning as I was driving down a street, a railing that prevents cars from falling off the street into the highway below caught my eye. I suddenly thought about the men (construction workers are usually men) who put that railing- those who put it in place, one who screwed it onto the pavement, not to mention those who made the railing itself. This thought gave me a sense of gratitude for the human being. Despite the evils humans are capable of, humans are great creatures whose existence make this world a better place most of the time. There are some people in this world who get more excited about animals, protecting them from humans, focusing their lives on them, and worse, make humans the culprit against a world they imagine. They are more concerned about protecting nature, not for the benefit of humans, but to maintain an atmosphere of perfection in their eyes.

     This obsession with the protection of nature contradicts the biblical worldview. Humans are the crown of creation and every other creation is to be under his care (not to be abused) and used for his benefit collectively, not in a selfish way. The vision of the end of history is a city full of human beings from every nation, and God wiping away their tears. Humans are made in the image of God and are to be treated with utmost respect and concern. Sometimes we treat humans with contempt, from our close relations to those who are in the margins of our lives and that brings judgment upon us.

     What does this all have to do with shame? Whether we are ashamed of ourselves, or others are ashmed of us, or we are ashamed of others, we need to remember the greatness of human beings. Bullies magnify shame, attacking a person's image- looks, achievements, etc. Whether subtly or blatantly, we make judgments on who is inferior or superior, and sadly we even do this with our families. A healthy respect for the human being will give us a foundation as we teach our children to fight bullying. We need to remind our children of the greatness of every human being and the utter evil of demeaning them. We demean ourselves by being so focused on our lack, not having a thankful attitude towards the God who made us who we are.  

      One temptation I face is to counter my sense of inadequacy with the quest to achieve more, compare myself with others, and to protect my image. It is so ingrained in my nature that sometimes I do it unconsciously. One thing that helps me is to meditate on what really constitutes greatness. In my study of Christian tradition, the way to greatness is humility. Humility looks at the other with gratitude, knowing that others' contribution to our lives enables our world to work better. Humility looks to serve the other, not overpower them or dominate them or be better than them. Humility does not paint paint an image of perfection.  

     I mention that sometimes I can't approach my sense of inadequacy with humility. At that point, I hold on to the spiritual reality that Jesus has lived a life of humility for me. He lived his life in service of others and with the worth of the human soul in view- the ultimate weapon against shame. He gave his life for the human soul, not because of our looks or our achievements, but out of love. Jesus is ultimately the guiding light who destroys shame.