May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.

Shaming is something that many people fear in life. Many on social media platforms conduct these types of activities to bludgeon people into compliance with their ideology. Over the past few years we have seen “shaming” be used as a tool in politics, healthcare, gender and roles, abortion and other issues.

So the truth is … we have the power to not be ashamed. Only someone you look to for approval can shame you. If we look to the institutions of this world for approval, then we will be caught in their intricate web of deceit and lies. If we follow God, we look to him for approval. And so we cannot be "shamed" because we have not given power to our accusers. I think one of the Psalmist's points here is that in the end, the only opinion that really matters is that of the God of the Universe, who will judge the righteous and the unrighteous.

As a pivot, what should we focus on to gain God's blessings? 1) His promises, 2) His law, 3) His precepts, 4) His statutes, and 5) His decrees. And when we focus on these things, we find that the opinions of the world fade into unimportance. And what results is God’s unfailing love, his comfort, and his approval of us.

Thank you Lord that I can focus on your word, your laws and decrees, your ways in life and all of the other petty things, like shaming, can fade into the background. Help me to prioritize you above my emails, my social media, my workplace and my other interests in life. If I put you in first place in my heart, I can ignore the shaming of the world.