Let God Turn Your Shames Into Triumphs

Many of us have been shamed once in our lifetime. My heart goes out to those who were born under the cloud of shame, or into a dysfunctional family, that they had no control of and it seems to hover over you day after day. I want to encourage you today that God can turn your shames into triumphs. When people try to shame you or reject you because of the poor choices of your family, know that God is ready to receive what man rejects. This story of Jephthah is a redemption story. But I want you to know that none of us are beyond God’s power and His grace to restore our lives.

The clouds of shame in Jephthah’s life is found in the book of Judges in the eleventh chapter. The writer of this text wastes no time in labeling Jephthah as the son of a Harlot.  “Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute (Judges 11:1).” Could you imagine someone introducing you first as the son of a prostitute? We know that Jephthah’s biological father was Gilead. Jephthah was despised and rejected by his brothers of another mother. Unfortunately, as Gilead’s sons got older, the brothers kept shaming Jephthah because of greed and not wanting to share any inheritance of their father. I ponder why Gilead, didn’t introduce this woman by her birth name?

Depending on which lens you are reading from, it is easy to focus on the prostitute who had an illegitimate child in this text. On the other hand, from from a social justice perspective, one can also look through the lens of rape, human trafficking or infidelity. There will be people that’ll come into your lives that will never let you forget your unjust circumstances that you had no control of. When people fail to look beyond their ill-conceived prejudices and stereotypes, I want to encourage you to take hold of your own story and not allow others to write it for you!

God has a divine blessing waiting for you despite of what your relatives did. When people hate on you, that’s not your issue, its theirs! Keep doing what God wants you to do. God specializes in taking those who seem to be the least of these and making them vessels of honor for His glory!