"As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
Romans 9:33
We see a variation of this in the next chapter, which says "Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed" (Romans 10:11), and there are messages about being ashamed in lots of other places. Isaiah tells us "ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end" (Isaiah 45:17). We also hear "my people shall never be ashamed" (Joel 2:26), "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" (Romans 1:16), "hope maketh not ashamed" (Romans 5:5), and "the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed" (2 Nephi 6:13). Some of them are from God's perspective, as in "God is not ashamed to be called their God" (Hebrews 11:16), and some are definitely from our side, like in Lehi's dream where it says that some people "after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost" (1 Nephi 8:28).
This particular verse talks about laying a stumblingstone and a rock of offense, perhaps indicating that this is an expected obstacle and test. Staying on the Lehi's dream theme, just like the rod of iron gets us through the mist of darkness when we can't see, in order to make it to the tree, and the mist of darkness isn't something that we can just avoid by walking around it, so also is mockery and people attempting to shower us with shame for believing in and following Christ. In Lehi's dream, the people in the great and spacious building were mocking the people at the tree (1 Nephi 8:27), which perhaps to us seems like a minor part of the story, but to those enduring the mockery, that can be just as large of a trial as the dark and dreary wilderness or the mist of darkness.
God's message to us is multilayered. He is saying "Do not be ashamed," but also "I won't let shame harm you" and "I will not be ashamed of you." God is telling us that yes, we do need to feel bad when we do something wrong, and repent, but none of that impacts our *worth* as His children. We are glorious beings of light, and he loves us and will do all things for us to save us. All we have to do is hang in there and keep trying. We are of infinite worth, and each of us is vitally important to God, as we should be to each other.
Today, let's do our best not to stumble because of the rocks that are strewn in our path, and when we do stumble, let's remember that it happens, and it is okay, and that we can get back up and keep going. Let's pay attention to where we are going, and hold tightly to God's word when the darkness comes. Let's remember our goal, and in whom we trust. God will help us, as we turn to him rather than letting the world drag us down. He will lift us up, heal us, and walk with us.
