Abbie Smith, one of our mentors for CollegeLeader and author of Can You Have Faith In College wrote a poem last week that REALLY got me thinking. It was on the topic of Shame. This, my friends, is a HUGE topic to teach on with college-age people!!!! In fact this is so important that I’ve just posted talk notes for you to use. To download those free click here.

This is an issue that college-age people struggle with for a couple reasons:

1. We too often teach Christianity as proper behavior – this leads them to guilt and shame because they can never follow the Law perfectly – and especially so during this time of exploration! But, the reality is, most churches teach Christianity as Law – just listen to messages given in most student ministries. Far too many focus on moral and behavioral aspects. This, I’m afraid, leads to shame and guilt during the college-age years.
2. They don’t understand grace. Now, we all have aspects of this! It’s hard to grasp. However, once shame and guilt filter into our mindsets our theology completely changes!!!! We must help our college-age friends gain an accurate view of God.

I wanted to post Abbie’s peom/blog here because you will probably want to use it when you teach on this subject. Maybe have someone read it at the end of your time, maybe just have it in powerpoint, or maybe print it out – have people read it by themselves quietly – and think about it personally. It’s extremely insightful, and I think, articulates exactly what so many of us feel…especially college-age people. Anyways, here it is:

Shame:

He visited today. In a refreshingly different, and yet still awful way than before. Different in that I recognized him, and awful in that recognizable, or not, he still exudes awfulness–like a whispering ghost, criticizing my every move.

I saw his face–I felt his disdain.

He stared at my openness to anger and asked me to hate.

He gaped at lingering hopes of the hour and listed an array of answers.

He mocked my sadness.

Marked my weakness.

Masked my gladness.

And raped my good.

He marveled at my tears and said, “Don’t stop. You should always be finding more reasons to flow.”

He flirted with my fatigue and said, “I’m glad to find you here. I’m glad to remind you of your name.”

He grabbed me by the hand, wanting to lead me back into his dark–back into his dance.

But I pulled away and said, “No. I see you today and your story is not worth my time.”

As Christians, we’re never beyond need for the cross. And as Christian leaders, we should never expect ourselves beyond weakness–and if fact, might lean into the prospect, or prayer, even!?, of having more. For in weakness, we know greater need for strengths of the cross.