We feel shame when we fail to live up to our own expectations or those of others. We may bring shame on ourselves or on others by our actions. We may feel shame because of the actions of someone close to us. Sadly, because of social media, our mistakes can easily end up in the feeds of many people, which only adds to our personal and public shame as they share and retweet.
The Twelve experienced a heavy load of shame on Thursday of Holy Week. By their actions, they brought shame on themselves, on each other, and mostly on their Master. Eleven of them eventually came to believe that Jesus, who died the most shameful death imaginable, had taken away their shame before God. Their failures are all recorded for the world in the New Testament, but Jesus was not ashamed to call them brothers, made his power perfect through their weaknesses, and empowered them to live without shame and with a new identity: forgiven children of God. No one who believes in him will ever be put to shame!