Thursday: The Mastery of Shyness
WEEK 46
THURSDAY
THE MASTERY OF SHYNESS
Jeremiah 1:6-10
We must look at another mastery in the Acts—the mastery of shyness. There seems to be an almost complete absence of shyness in the Acts. It was probably there, but it was mastered. It is seen in this reference: “God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about the Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, share the suffering for the good news, depending on God’s power” (2 Tim 1:7-8).
Timothy was bothered with timidity and shyness; he was somewhat ashamed of testifying to his Lord and was ashamed of Paul as a prisoner. The result of this was a self-concentration that probably produced emotional upsets, especially stomach upsets, “Use a little wine because of your stomach problems and your frequent illnesses” (1 Tim 5:23). He was sick because he was shy. For shyness is a symptom of something deeper—self-consciousness. The shy person is always thinking about the self: What do people think of me? What will they say about me? That drives the shy person in on self and hence into shyness. What is the remedy?
Paul said he had it, and it was this, “But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what [I have entrusted to him]” (2 Tim. 1:12 RSV [margin note]). Paul says, “I am not ashamed”; he had got rid of shame and shyness and timidity. How? By fighting it, clenching his teeth, and saying, “I will be brave”? No! He adds, “For I know whom I have believed.” He took his eyes off himself and put them on Jesus. The Christ-consciousness cured the self-consciousness. He didn’t say, “I know my weaknesses; I’ll eliminate them by trying harder.” He did say, “I know whom”; to know him was the remedy. Not to know about him but to know him. To know about him is secondhand; to know him is firsthand. Secondhand knowledge of Christ will not cure you of self-consciousness and its consequent shyness, but firsthand knowledge of him will. Secondhand knowledge is information; firsthand knowledge is transformation.
O Christ, help me to center my mind and my love on you instead of on myself. When I look at myself, I am a problem; when I look at you, I am a possibility. I look at you and live. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I shall master shyness by becoming absorbed in Jesus and the wonder of his love.