Despising Shame

1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything...

Paul confidently expects that God will make his present circumstances (chains) turn out in such a way that he is not put to shame. This is not a pride issue for Paul. Rather, it is a zeal for the honor of the name of Christ. The shame Paul is talking about here comes not from the realization of one’s own sin (which is a shame to be sought, not avoided). It is rather a public shame that comes from the failure of a spokesman of Christ to bear a good testimony to His Lord by his life and words. What Paul is confident of is that God will give him the strength to bear up under this trial and maintain a life and a testimony that honor Christ, never becoming ashamed of the name of Christ but always boldly proclaiming it and professing it without hesitation. (Remember that great pressure was put upon early Christian captives to deny Christ and hail Caesar.)

It is important for God’s people to take note of this. The fact that Paul desires to avoid this shame tells us something about Paul (1). The fact that he expects to avoid it tells us something about Paul’s God (2).

(1) The name of Christ is attached to each one of those who profess to be Christians. And therefore each one has the capacity to smear His name by the way he conducts himself. Paul had a zeal to avoid shame because he had a zeal for the honor of the name of Christ. He longed to see the Name exalted and held in high esteem. He grieved deeply when it was maligned or mocked or "dragged through the mud." And so Paul was zealous to live his life in such a way as to pursue the one and avoid the other at all costs. The same zeal must be ours.

(2) The fact that Paul is confident that he will avoid shame comes out of his knowledge that God Himself has a great zeal for His name. He is ready to uphold His children not merely out of love for them, but also because He is out to glorify His name among men. He does not want His glory to be obscured before mankind. He wants His glory revealed so that all can see what a mighty and a wonderful God He is. And this is a great source of confidence for the Christian. It means that when we go forth into the world with a sincere zeal to honor Him in the eyes of men, we can know that, since God has the same interest, He can be trusted to equip us and sustain us and empower us to do so.

O God my Father, forgive me for caring so much about my name and neglecting Your Name. By the power of Your Spirit, kindle in my breast a blazing zeal for the name of Jesus Christ. Help me to live a life that brings honor to that Name before men. Help me never to be ashamed of Him or of His gospel. Help me never to be ashamed to identify myself with Him, but to bear His name boldly. Thank You for the generous assistance You provide for those who desire to exalt Your Name. I have no strength in myself to do so. Uphold this servant of Yours, Lord, that he might uphold Your Name.