I've noticed a trend while walking down the busiest streets in North America with kids. Instead of hiding from the unpleasantries, the unpleasantries try to hide from us. In other words, as soon as we pass by a non-kid-friendly interaction, eyes quickly shift down to the sidewalk, hands relocate to pockets, smoke and swear words slink back into mouths, clothes reposition over exposed skin. The only time this doesn't happen is when the unpleasantries are unaware of the nearby children.
It's as if the naivete and innocence of children cause a subtle feeling of shame. Purity exposes shame. Shame, though, only exposes itself momentarily because it's as unpleasant as the experience that caused it. One could argue that shame is a societal pressure that has been taught-- shame is simply an ingrained emotion that should be removed altogether. We should all be free to over-expose or under-expose at our leisure. One might continue to argue that there are separate environments for children and adults, and as such, children should stay clear of unpleasantries.
However, what we've seen in cities occurs in broad daylight in public places.
I would argue that shame can be a positive emotion if it shines light on morality. "The unrighteous know no shame." (Zeph 3:5b) I would also ask why this sense of morality exists at all? Why the natural sense of right and wrong? Most children likewise shift their eyes down when asked about something they did wrong. When we do "wrong" we want to look away from it, much like Adam and Eve--we grab fig leaves to cover up that which causes us to feel shame.
The prostitution, the foul language, and the recreational drugs were all put behind backs when our children walked past with uncertainty or oblivion. Shame acts like an antiseptic--it shows where there is an infection. It bubbles up white and foamy, but we just put on a bandaid and ignore the real problem. Sadly it is not the prostitute, the drug dealer, or the street screamer who need shame to do it's work, but those of us who think we have nothing for which to be ashamed.
We are not called to "live in shame" either. Once we realize that Jesus died to wipe away every detail that makes us shift our eyes downward, once we realize that Christ made a way for us to never feel ashamed again, once we have let shame expose our sin, then we can repent and never feel shame again. God does not want us to cover up our shame like Adam and Eve. He hopes we will openly recognize where we don't want to be seen by children, so that we can come back to Him like fully exposed and fully loved children of God.
~City travel, Carefully and Carelessly
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