Shame is a Beast

I love seeing the world through the eyes of my little girls, and I thought that’s what I was doing the other night. I took 2 little “Belles” to see a high school production of Beauty and the Beast. It quickly became clear to me that I was going to see more than the view through their eyes.

We weren’t more than a minute in to the play when I was struck by words used to describe the Beast. The narrator was saying, “ashamed, he hid away and locked himself in the castle.” I never realized that the Beast wasn’t a prisoner in the castle bound by the spell. He was a prisoner of his own shame and guilt. I couldn’t believe I had never made that connection before. He was able to go out and find love(th love that would set him free) but he chose to stay imprisoned by his own guilt and shame. Shame is a terrible burden to bear. Especially because we were never meant to bear it on our own. 

I am aware that what I am describing here is based on a fictional character, but I think we all have seen (and maybe become) a beast in the midst of fear and shame. What we’ve done, or what has been done to us, does not have to define us. The hurt, the pain, the fears, the lies, the burden can all be removed by love.

There is a love that is so amazing that it overwhelms our shame and sets us free. Most people don’t have a rose that is dying to remind them that they are running short on time to be set free from a “spell.” However, we do have relationships that aren’t growing, friendships that aren’t getting any deeper, and hearts that are growing colder because shame cloaks us in fear and pain. 

I have experienced shame placed on me and, in my least favorite parts of me, I have shamed others. It breaks my heart  to know that, but I truly desire to live set free, and to see others free, as well.

My family and I have gone through some hard seasons. We’ve dealt with things that can be perceived as (and are) shameful. When I share our story, and others start to share their story with me, I have heard so many people say things like, “you wouldn’t believe the shame that I have carried because of _____(fill in the blank)_____.” Some have carried these burdens alone for years and years. I’m finding out that when we share our burdens with others, it doesn’t weigh us down. Actually makes the load lighter knowing we have someone willing to walk alongside of us. Even though sometimes it looks perfect (or even like a castle on the outside) our hearts can be locked up on the inside. 

So many times we let fear, doubt, shame, and lies spoken over us define us, but we don’t have to any more. We can be set free because Jesus came to nail sin and shame to the cross. One of my favorite worship songs repeats the lyrics, “who the Son sets free, is free indeed. I am a child of God.” We can walk forward knowing that we can lay our burdens down at the cross every day if we need to. Until we can leave it there without even trying. 

1 Peter 4:8 reminds us that love covers a multitude of sins. That love can come from us, but perfect love (the Love that casts out all fear - 1 John 4:18) is from the Father above. We are not defined by a moment (or moments) that tried to steal who God created us to be. We are defined by the work on the cross, that bore the weight of all our sin and shame. 

I wanted to run up and tell the Beast that He could be set free, but then I remembered it was just a play. So, I sat and enjoyed it when the Beast had to take a courageous step to tell Belle how he felt about her, and said, “I’m afraid she might laugh at me.” To that, Lumier answered, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to do it anyway.” 

Fear can keep us from diving in and receiving the blessing that comes from being set free. We can be stuck inside the prison of our shame and not even realize that we are the ones who put ourselves there. What was done to us is not our fault, and the things that we’ve done are forgiven as soon as we ask. So we can raise our heads up and let true love work in all of the dark places that created that beast. Let yourself out of the prison of guilt and shame, be brave to take the next step, and be transformed by real love that takes all of the fear and shame away. Let’s live as the royalty we were meant to be. Shame is a Beast, but you are a Beauty. Unlock the doors and be set free!