We blush because we are ashamed or embarrassed. In the Scriptures we see this happen in Genesis chapter 3. After Adam and Eve sinned they attempted to hide from God because they were ashamed. They felt accountable to God. There was an awareness of internal shortcomings, corruption, or imperfection as well as an awareness of an external standard. What’s more, they were aware that they were accountable to God and that he would hold them accountable. Today we are largely ignorant of the first and indifferent to the second.

If there is one thing we can be certain of when we read the news today it is that we should not be surprised. The staggering rate of the moral revolution has conditioned us this way. Each day’s headlines bring with it a sense of moral ascent (or descent, depending upon your perspective). And here I am not simply talking about so-called same-sex marriage and the erosion of religious liberty. Like dropping a line in the water, you often catch more than just a fish. We are pulling a lot into the boat that shapes our experience.

If one were inclined to be objective they might open their eyes and ears and try to pinpoint a root. Walk through the malls, the public square, flip through the TV, read the paper, listen to the chatter, and talk to strangers.

This is what I’ve been doing for quite some time. My conclusion: we have forgotten how to blush.

WHY WOULD WE BLUSH?

We blush because we are ashamed or embarrassed. In the Scriptures we see this happen in Genesis chapter 3. After Adam and Eve sinned they attempted to hide from God because they were ashamed. They felt accountable to God. There was an awareness of internal shortcomings, corruption, or imperfection as well as an awareness of an external standard. What’s more, they were aware that they were accountable to God and that he would hold them accountable.

Today we are largely ignorant of the first and indifferent to the second. We believe in a self that is not flawed and a God that is not holy. This is why the Apostle Paul’s words ring true: “There was no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:18).

But this is not a virtue. It is actually a deceptive vice that substantiates the divine arrest warrant.

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