Your body is imperfect, flawed, scarred, ugly, too ____ (something inadequate) and, therefore so are you! This is body-shaming: the act of humiliating someone because of some aspect of his/her body. Most people accept that body-shaming is harmful and needs to stop, but it still happens a lot to Jesus without apology.
Unbelievers
The prophecy in Isaiah 53:3-5 says that Jesus would be “despised and rejected by men” and is still true today. Jesus, the Head of the body (Co 1:18), is shamed as His name, that is above all names (Ph 2:9), is used as a mindless interjection and curse. Everything about Him is “despised and rejected by men”—His historicity, His teaching, His miracles, His death, His resurrection, His reign, His authority, and His return. He is shamed and blasphemed without hesitation.
Jesus warned that if He is “despised and rejected by men” (hated and persecuted – Jn 15:18-25), His followers (His body) will be, too. How does the body endure shaming? It knows, “The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools” (Pr 3:35). Unbelievers, “whose glory is their shame – who set their mind on earthly things” (Ph 3:19), shame Christ and His body but will inherit shame themselves. Those who are spiritually wise will inherit glory “when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe…” (2 Th 1:10). His body rejoices that it is “worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Ac 5:41) knowing that, in the end, “whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame” (Ro 9:33).
Believers
Believers know Jesus as “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (He 1:3). Believers know that they “were called in one body” (Co 3:15); and yet, some believers body-shame Jesus.
Members of the body know that their mission is the “edifying of the body of Christ” (Ep 4:12), but some are often tempted to tear it down and shame it. It begins by members not respecting and “not holding fast to the Head…” (Co 1:19). Actions that disrespect, ignore, and degrade the authority and direction of the Head, Jesus, dishonor, disrespect, and shame Him.
Tolerating immorality shames the body of Christ and gives cause for blaspheming Him (1 Co 5:1-8; 1 Ti 6:1; Ti 2:5). False teaching brings blasphemy to the way of truth (2 Pe 2:1-3). The words and actions of members of the body of Christ must not invite shaming of Christ and His body.
Believers are often tempted to shame other body members with harsh words, condemnation, disunity, refusal to forgive, lack of love, selfishness, prejudice, devaluing various gifts and positions in the body, dishonoring poor brothers and sisters, etc. If believers aren’t treating other believers as those for whom Christ died, they are both shaming their brothers and shaming Christ and His grace. Believers are “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher or our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (He 12:2). Jesus despised and bore the shame of the cross. It’s past time for body-shaming Jesus to stop.
davdiestel@yahoo.com