Those Embarrassing Moments!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16)

As I headed out the door that bitter cold Sunday morning, I grabbed my long wool coat for added warmth over my favorite denim skirt and knee boots. I loved this skirt because it was fun to walk in—long, full, and "free" feeling--nothing tight or creepy-crawly, and no worries while crossing my legs. The only thing I had to watch for were windy days, or what is known as a "skirt alert" day. And there were to be no skirt alerts issued for this day.   

Or so I thought. 

Ours is nearly a forty minute trip to church. Enough time to enjoy one more cup of coffee.  So, when I entered the large classroom of nearly 75 others waiting for class to begin, I set my Bible and purse down to reserve our seats and headed for the ladies’ room. It had become my routine. 

Moments later, I returned to my seat, but thought I would get another coffee for myself and my husband to sip during class. As I rose, I realized how warm the coat now felt, so I removed it, hung it over the back of my seat, scampered through the maze of tables and chairs and sashayed across the large room toward the glass-panel french doors between our room and break area.

As I felt the heat of the blessed brain juice filling our styrofoam cups , I felt the warmth of what I knew to be the gentle feminine squeeze of sweet fellowship on my shoulders. The mystery woman slowly turned my shoulders toward her and my body followed. With a caring glance, she leaned in with a warm hug and whispered into my ear, “Your skirt is tucked up inside your waistband”, while she discreetly tugged on the back of my skirt. I knew now why she turned me around. The coffee station didn’t have eyes. 

Awkward! 

My mind immediately hit rewind to replay every step from my chair to the coffee counter. Then I imagined the view of the 75 people in the classroom, at least those I had just “sashayed” by. I spotted an escape route down the hallway, and considered calling my husband who I now could see seated in the classroom, but my cell phone was in my purse, and my purse was in the chair beside him.

If you looked up the definition of mortified in that moment, you'd have seen my picture.

I sent up a quick “S.O.S.” prayer, but I think God was laughing too hard to hear me. After all, He had already sent the sole woman in the coffee area amid a group of men huddled in a corner. What more did I want?

Well, about a 15 minute time warp would be nice . . . but never mind. 

I guess it could have been worse. I could have been leaving a long and winding paper trail through every room I'd been through. It could have been that I would not have become enlightened of my gawky garment gaffe by my female faux pas informant. 

Please tell me you’ve done something like this . . . please. . .

I’ll bet God could write a book about the stupid, shameful, or embarrassing things His people do. Wait… He did! 

Noah got drunk and got naked. Peter reneged on his promise to Jesus. David acted in stupidity more than once. They were not alone, and neither are we. It’s who we are and still God loves us and uses us, just as He did Noah, Peter, and David.

I've yet to find anyone in the scriptures who walked around for a few minutes with their tunic tucked up under their belt. However, my Savior spent many hours of shame, degradation, pain, and sorrow as He hung naked and beaten on the cross, not for delivering me from my embarrassing moments, but from my sin. 

I walked back into the classroom while telling myself over and over, “It’s not about me… it’s not about me…it’s not about me.” 

And you know what? It’s not. We were there that morning to fellowship and study together and to worship the God who is so worthy of our worship regardless of our hilarious howlers. Awkward and laughable as we are, it’s what we are created for. I needed to let go of my silly pride in order to worship the Lord with my whole heart!

J.C. Geikie said, "An undivided heart, which worships God alone and trusts Him as it should, is raised above all anxiety for earthly wants."  I wonder if that includes a paper sack to fit over my head.

I have done plenty of other things that have led to my embarrassment or even shame. Some I can share. Others I will carry to my grave. But through them, I am reminded that as God has saved my soul from the domain of darkness, transferring me into His glorious light, my impromptu trunk show on that Sunday morning was not worth ruining an opportunity to worship and praise the God of my salvation.

God is never embarrassed by the silly things we do, nor is He ashamed to call us His children when the things we do are not so silly or accidental. He paid too high a price to let our oddities as well as our failures get in the way of His purposes for you and for me.

Do I think we humor Him at times? Absolutely! So I suppose in those awkward moments we need to lay aside our pride and laugh as well. 

I may feel stupid for things I’ve said, and embarrassed by things I’ve done. And there may be some who will always look at me as the one who left the "back door" open. It doesn't really matter.

But what does matter is what I am doing with what God has entrusted to me. Do people see Christ in me? Am I more concerned with saving face temporarily or with God's saving grace for eternity?

It’s not about me. It’s about Christ, and I will never be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16)

S.E. 

~~♥~~