Kathryn J. Bain Bestselling Author

This past week, I started my classes for the Citizen’s Academy. No homework, just getting knowledge about how our local sheriff’s department works. The tour of the jail was very bothersome with all the young people behind bars. The inmates were not shy about acting up behind their sliding glass doors. One even flipped us off. I don’t recall any hiding their faces. Jail is no longer something embarrassing. It’s now a rite of passage for some young people.

Numbers 12:10 reads in part, When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous- it became as white as snow. Miriam spoke against Moses so God struck her with leprosy. Miriam was then shut out from the camp for seven days. This must have been a humbling experience for someone who considered herself a prophetess. I imagine she was very ashamed of her behavior.

We need to go back to a time when certain actions shamed us. Whether it be acting out sexually in public or posting a video of us beating up on homeless people.

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of shame is “the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., …”. There appears to no longer be any shame in what one does anymore. When we misbehave, we see it as more of a YouTube opportunity than to get on our knees and ask for God’s forgiveness.

We need to bring shame back. Stop allowing others to prance around when they do something wrong. That’s not to say we shouldn’t forgive, but why allow people to have pride in such things as being arrested? Society needs to say we will no longer celebrate it.

God needs to be more in our hearts than our heads. As long as we just speak the God talk but refuse to do the God walk, there will be more of our youth that see us as hypocritical. Once they don’t buy into your “Jesus” act, they will not want to know your God.

Let’s no longer be complacent with bad behavior. Instead, celebrate those that do what is right.

For instance a woman in our church is collecting paperback books for the local juvenile center. They just added a library and have no books for the young offenders. Her son has never been arrested, yet she cares enough to do this kind, Godly gesture. Yeah Carolyn!

Who else do you know that’s done something we should celebrate? It’s time to brag on them instead of someone who’s done something wrong.