Ain’t No Shame In My Game

The Samaritan Woman

John 4:28

The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men.  “Come see a Man who told me all things that I ever did.  Could this be the Christ?”

(NKJV)

Do you have something in your life that you are ashamed of?  Of course you have—we all have.  We all have something in our lives we don’t want anyone to know about.  Secrets.  Secrets, that if anyone were to find out we would be completely ashamed. Not embarrassed, but ashamed. Embarrassment is not the same as shame.  To be embarrassed is to be self conscious.  To be ashamed is a feeling of unworthiness, dishonor and disgrace— a feeling of inferiority.    You can get over being embarrassed.  But shame, no matter how hard you try it won’t wash off, you can’t take it off; you have to live it off.  Everybody knows your stuff.  It’s been made public.  You can’t hide from it.  And when it’s a “public shame” as in the situation of the Samaritan woman; all she could do is live with it.

 She tried to avoid it by showing up at the well at a time when she thought nobody would be there.  She had grown accustomed to not being acknowledged or spoken to by a Jew.  The woman is shocked, that He, a Jew, would speak to her, a Samaritan woman.  The Samaritans were considered unworthy and Jews did not “associate” with them.  But Jesus not only asked her for water, he also took time to have a conversation with her.  Telling her that he knew everything about her stuff—those things that she was ashamed of.  Sisters, there is nothing that can be hidden from Jesus.  He is completely aware of all that we have done and what it is we are doing now.  He spoke with her about her past—stating that she had five husbands in the past and the man she is with now, is not her husband.  When she realizes that Jesus already knows about her stuff and it doesn’t keep Him from “associating with her,” she is liberated. 

Laying down her shame, she runs and tells the whole town about Him. There were probably some—solely based on her stuff—that did not receive her testimony.  But that didn’t matter to her, because she was free.  Once you have been liberated from your stuff, it no longer controls you—it does not matter what others think or you. 

Just like the “Samaritan Woman” Jesus has liberated us from shame.  We no longer have to feel inferior or unworthy.  He wants us to be free to worship Him in spirit and in truth.  No matter what the shame, Jesus is calling you to receive the liberation He bought for you at Calvary.  He wants you to proclaim “No Shame, No Shame, AIN’T NO SHAME IN MY GAME”