a word about shame

I had a revelation last night. You know, sometimes it can be so hard to overcome issues of shame and low self-esteem because we just feel we are not worth it. We truly believe we are lousy. But it occured to me last night that shame towards ourselves is a sin against our neighbor, i.e., against other people. The reason? Because when we have shame toward ourselves, it gets in the way of a vital, giving relationship with others. It blocks the give and take of equals. It makes us harder to love others. So, if you cannot say no to the shaming lies for your own sake, maybe it will help to do it for your neighbor's sake. Give them a "you" that is whole and believing the truth.