"Shame Shame..."

As an Asian American, I know all about shame. If you didn't grow up with tiger parents, let me give you the rundown. As an Asian American, I was held to the impossibly high standard of making straight A's in school, performing flawless solos at recitals, holding an office position in my extracurricular activities, and was raised with the expectation of making a six-figure salary. Clearly, I fell short of all these standards, and because of that I often felt like I was an embarrassment to my family. My parents would blame my mistakes and failures on my inconsistent practice and/or failure to take things seriously. Sometimes, they would yell at me or ground me, but it was all so that I could become better.

As I read Isaiah, I sympathize with the Israelite's shame. They failed, so the only natural response is shame. It's the natural order of life. However, one thing that I don't understand is why they didn't change or repent. From the beginning of Isaiah, the prophet asked Judah "Why do you continue to rebel?" (Isaiah 1:5) This question is followed by promises of restoration and protection if the people would only obey. I learned from an early age that the only way to get rid of my shame is to do everything I can to please my parents. If my parents are happy, then I'll be happy. I know that they don't want me to fail, and they surely don't want me to live an unsuccessful life. That's exactly why they were hard on me and pushed me towards perfection. I think that that is exactly what God is doing here too. God wants the best for his people. Isaiah 55:9 says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Just like my parents, I won't always understand why God is pushing me towards perfection and disciplining me along the way. Even though I might not always agree with what God is doing, I know that God will only lead me in the right direction for my good.