I’m Just a Guy: Who’s AshamedSample

The Lies Shame Tells

If a thief were coming to your home tonight, how would you respond?

I remember growing up, and at one point, there was a rash of burglaries in our community. We lived in a rural area, and most “home security” systems were self-monitored—if you know what I mean (good old Second Amendment).

The thieves were targeting sheds and garages, looking for easy-to-grab items. Out in the country, that meant four-wheelers and lawn equipment were at risk. My dad didn’t waste any time. He installed a motion sensor connected to floodlights—and, for good measure, wired up an industrial horn that, had it existed in Jesus’ day, could have woken Lazarus himself. That thing would bring even the soundest sleeper to full attention in about two heartbeats.

It wasn’t enough just to shine light on the situation. My dad needed awareness—something to alert him in real time so he could take action.

That’s a useful picture of how the enemy works with shame.

The thief is prowling around in the dark, looking for his prey. Often, to take out his victims, he will use something that sounds like this:

• “You’ll never change.”
• “If people really knew you, they’d run away.”
• “God can’t use someone like you.”

In those moments, we have to expose the lies for what they are—and who they’re from. Like my dad’s alarm system, we need awareness (something or someone to bring self-awareness to the surface) and then the powerful Light of Christ to drive out the darkness.

It’s been my experience that shame has a way of turning down the volume on the alarm because its lies are deafening. When I can’t silence them myself, it’s often my wife or my brothers in Christ who help me correct the course. Being vulnerable enough to expose them to others is where most guys unfortunately stop.

As Christian men, we must recognize that the enemy will stop at nothing to steal, kill, and destroy everything in our lives - this is not meant to scare you, but it may be the audible alarm you need to hear. The thing he’s using to cripple you most might stem from your past—a divorce, a broken relationship with your kids, or financial failure. But hear this: those things do not define you.

Let’s face it, guys, if the first half of John 10:10 is the alarm sounding, the second half is the remedy. Jesus can silence the lies of shame when we redirect our hearts and minds to Him and His Truth. He didn’t go to the cross for us to surrender power to His enemy. His sacrifice was heroic—and it’s the key to the freedom we’re desperate for.

Please hear me: you are not the sum of your mistakes. You are the product of His mercy and grace. It’s time to stop letting the thief narrate your story and start walking in the freedom Christ purchased for you.

Reflection Questions:

• Which lie of shame do you most often believe?
• Who is the person who can speak Truth over you when the lies take over?