Articles
They Do Not Know How to Blush
The children of Judah were far gone in the days of Jeremiah the Prophet. As God prepared Jeremiah for his extremely solemn work He adjured him, "As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you (Jeremiah 7:16).” They were so far gone God forbade Jeremiah to pray for their deliverance.
A hallmark of their depravity was not knowing how to blush.
Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD. Jeremiah 8:12
“Blushing is the reddening of a person's face due to psychological reasons. It is normally involuntary and triggered by emotional stress, such as that associated with embarrassment, anger, or romantic stimulation.”1 The word, “blush,” occurs 4 times in the Old Testament, and is a trait approved of and encouraged by God. God designed us to blush and be embarrassed in certain scenarios. He designed us to have a conscience which disapproves of sinful intentions and actions. According to the above quote from Jeremiah, we should blush when we commit an abomination.
Blushing, these days, is seen as a sign of weakness. Successful actors, entertainers, and comedians make money doing things that would cause most people to blush. We wonder how anyone could do or say such things without blushing. Well, many don’t know how to blush because they have worked hard to lose that knowledge. Often encouraged by others to do so.
Overcoming blushing is the goal of, “Coming out of the closet.” Instead of being ashamed of abominable behavior, those who engage in homosexual relations are encouraged by other to not blush but, rather, be proud of it. With respect to killing children, it is in vogue now, among some women, to wear T-shirts that say, “I had an abortion.” These are examples of Jeremiah 8:12 in action today.
God designed us to blush when sinning. But blushing while committing even the most egregious sins can be overcome. Not knowing how to blush is an indication of our having moved far away from the humble and contrite spirit God intends us to have, and of our having gotten much too cozy with sin and sinners.
May it never be said of us that we don’t know how to blush.
