Often, we find ourselves feeling insecure as Christians because we feel we do not measure up to what God expects of us. Even though we know God has forgiven us, we know we are not perfect and never will be. From an early age, around every corner of life, we are met with judgments from others, social slights, and rejections for parts of us that we can do nothing about, so we gradually lose a grip on our confidence and are left feeling insecure and unsure of our self-worth. We walk through life being knocked about by a cruel social world, with a constant feeling of inadequacy, as if there is something essentially wrong with us. We can easily question if we are worthy of God’s love, or if He is sometimes ashamed of us, looking on with disapproval as we stumble. But, we forget one very important gift: that no matter who we are, or what our circumstances, God accepts us just as we are, completely, unabashedly, and never ashamed to call us His own. We do not need to earn His love, or be perfect in order to gain His acceptance. Instead, we can confidently approach Him through Christ, knowing that He will embrace us, warts and all. We may be too timid to step into His presence and make ourselves vulnerable to Him, afraid that His bright light will illuminate and magnify all our imperfections, causing Him to reject us with disgust in our weakness and failure. However, this is not the kind of Father we have. He is a loving Father that wants nothing more than to redeem us and have a personal and affectionate relationship with us. He will never turn away His children, and because our Father has made us holy in His eyes, Christ is not embarrassed, but rather proud, to call us brothers and sisters in the same family of faith and righteousness, all loving the same Father and all heirs to the same eternal inheritance. He patiently waits with arms outstretched, anticipating our step of faith to be welcomed into His loving embrace. Though the world judges us, pegs us based on our socioeconomic status, ostracizes us, evaluates us based on our looks, and teaches us that we must have our guard up at all times, our Father does not discriminate or turn up His nose. We can safely drop our guard with Him, Because He welcomes all who seek Him, regardless of who we are, what we look like, where we come from, what our past is, what we have done, or how much money we make. He sees beyond our sins, and willingly gives His gift of salvation and total acceptance for free, so that whoever holds His hand and follows Him will never have be shamed, or feel ashamed again. While others may raise eyebrows or act as though they do not know us when we fail to meet their standards, our Father is one that is not ashamed to eat with sinners and tax collectors, not embarrassed to be seen with the disabled, and one that will never humiliate us or judge us for our past, but instead help us if we accept Him and let Him love us. Where others may reject us or awkwardly back away, leaving us feeling self-conscious and humiliated, He accepts us unconditionally, and, if we call upon Him, He will not let us down, but instead save us and empower us to become the best possible versions of ourselves. Because we want a better life and a better future with a Father that publicly lays His hands on us, owning us as His own imperfect but earnest children, we know that we can live confidently, no longer in fear of what others think of us, because we know every day that we are loved and accepted.

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. John 6:37

For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Romans 10:11-13

For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. Hebrews 2:11

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16

“Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. Isaiah 54:4

Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame. Isaiah 50:7

Jesus sat down to eat at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples. Indeed, many of them had become his followers. When some of the legal experts from among the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why is he eating with sinners and tax collectors?” When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn’t come to call righteous people, but sinners.” Mark 2:15-17