A major theme in the book of Isaiah is that those who are aligned with God need not feel ashamed.
“Kings shall be thy nursing fathers,” he promises Israel, “and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me” (Isaiah 49:23, 1 Nephi 21:23, 2 Nephi 6:7). And Isaiah resolves in his own heart to remain strong with these words: “I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:7, 2 Nephi 7:7).
Those words must have been particularly meaningful to Nephi and to Jacob, since their father’s dream emphasized the damaging impact of shame. Some people who had made the journey to the tree of life abandoned it because they were being mocked. “After they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost” (1 Nephi 8:28).
Shame is a feeling of self-consciousness because you have done something wrong. We sometimes say, “You have nothing to be ashamed of,” indicating that feelings of shame are not always associated with guilt, but may be caused by other people’s inappropriate condemnation.
The apostle Paul quoted a different passage from Isaiah to emphasize to the Romans that they should not feel shame because of their devotion to God: “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16). Or as Paul renders that last phrase: “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (Romans 9:33, Romans 10:11). Near the beginning of this same epistle, he modeled for them the behavior he is encouraging, when he wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (Romans 1:16).
When the resurrected Savior visited the American continent, He quoted the following passage from Isaiah to the people gathered at the temple: “Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame” (3 Nephi 22:4, Isaiah 54:4).
Today, I will choose not to be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will not allow other people’s opinions to dissuade me from standing up for what is good and true.
One of my sisters joined the church after I moved back home from being away in Arizona. After a few months she endured a hardship in life and the people she turned to pulled her down. Telling her that in order for them to be there for her she was required to leave her association with the Church in it’s entirety.
She requested to be removed from all church records.
Her life become a nightmare.
My heart was hopeful when she reached out to me about her past membership and how her life made sense while she was a member. I let her know that it’s not too late to come home and find safety again within the fold of the church. At this time she’s still not home yet but I continue to pray for her and love her.
Thanks for sharing your story about your sister’s experiences. It sounds like she’s had some challenging experiences, but she is fortunate to have a sister like you who prays for her and encourages her! Everyone’s timing is different. Our part as disciples of Jesus Christ is to “continue to minister,” so that we are there for them when they need us. (See 3 Nephi 18:32.)
Thanks again for the comment! Have a great day!