16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Romans 1:16

To be ashamed is to be uncomfortable, to be embarrassed, and to be reluctant. It is a feeling of shame that stops you from boldly doing something. In other words, if you are not ashamed, it means there is nothing that will stop you from doing what you want to do. So Paul was in effect saying that he had openly received the gospel of Christ and was able to do whatever was required of him.

Some people are ashamed of their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives etc. If you are ashamed of your mother and you are in a crowd with all your friends, and your mother starts calling you from a distance, chances are that you will feign deafness and tiptoe out of sight. That is so terrible. That is the power of shame. I know of people who behave like that, especially those who feel their parents are “bush” and “uneducated.” They forget that the “bush” and “uneducated” womb was good enough to carry them for nine months.

It is also sad when people are ashamed of their spouses. For how many years, in a lifetime of marriage will a spouse avoid being seen with his or her mate? You are married. You better just accept them and let the Word work on them and on you as well.

The lesson is this: you can never openly receive what you are ashamed of. It’s impossible. Don’t be ashamed of any portion of the Word of God. If you are not ashamed of the gospel it means you have openly received the gospel and you are willing to speak it and act on it, regardless of any present circumstances.

Confession:

From the mountaintop, I shout that I receive the gospel – the good news. I receive The Blessing in it and I receive the responsibilities I have in the gospel. I love the Word of God.