Let’s talk about shame, suffering, and separation. We know shame. We know suffering. We know separation. These are part of the consequences of living in our imperfect world, but we don’t like talking about them. We would rather pretend they don’t impact us or they are only things others endure. The fact remains each have implication for how we see ourselves and others and affect how we relate to God. Shame- I know what I’ve done (or has been done to me). We realize we are not perfect. When we fail in anyway, we experience guilt (and maybe we are guilty). Others have harmed or abused us impacting our self-worth staining our psyche. We wear a scarlet letter This is shame. I am concerned it now defines me. Suffering- I know what I’ve dealt with (or am dealing with). There is pain and difficulty in the world often because of circumstances often beyond our control. Yet at times it can even be consequences of our own choices or results of our responsibilities. Craving flourishing, we face failure. I am concerned it will defeat me. Separation- I know who is distant (and maybe I even know why). People you were close with or thought were friends turn out to be foes. We try to move on, but grief needs to be processed. We carry brokenness into new relationships with bitterness from the past and fear of the future. I am concerned it disconnects me. These categories all need to be included in our concept and understanding of the impact of what the Bible calls “Sin”. Individually, Sin is missing the mark, it’s breaking God’s law, and how we are bent out of shape in this world. Corporately, it is the systems, structures, and societal norms of injustice oppression opposed to God’s rule and true human flourishing. In Creation, sin manifest itself in world hostile to enduing eternal life including disease and destruction. For most of our lives we have thought about sin in the court room context of “guilt/innocence” and that is not wrong. It is that, AND the Bible was written in and to a cultural context of “honor/shame”. When we endure shame, suffering, separation in can manifest itself dishonor. We cannot bear the dishonor of sin we’ve caused, or endured from, others. We need a salvation outside our ourselves effective to cover our shame, clean our souls, and change our relationships if we are Enduring Dishonor.