Is It Right to Shame People?
People have the tendency to want revenge. They may seek revenge by physical, emotional, verbal, or financial means. They may use sarcasm or shade the truth by emphasizing those details they want to prove their point.
There is, however, a down side to it.
There article shows the downside of shaming customers who give a negative review or perhaps a low tip. 5 Reasons Restaurants Should Think Twice About Shaming Bad Customers. Reasons like "The satisfaction is usually temporary, and often not worth it" as this may lead to backfiring when more details are known.
An application can be made to Christians. Do we seek revenge by shaming someone?
There are some problems.
- What are the facts (truth)?
- Why do you/I want to do this?
- Is it right in God's view?
What does the Bible say?
- It is not our place. "Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God's anger do it. For the scripture says, "I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord." (Romans 12:19, GNB92)
- We should one for that person to repent, so we are to treat our enemies with kindness. "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well." (Luke 6:27-29, GNB92)
- It smacks of pride as if we are the Judge. Maybe they will repent. "So watch what you do! "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in one day, and each time he comes to you saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." (Luke 17:3-4, GNB92)
- We might ourselves guilty of bad behavior ourselves. "Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye? How dare you say to your brother, 'Please, let me take that speck out of your eye,' when you have a log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:3-5, GNB92)
- We need to make things right with our brethren. "So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God. (Matthew 5:23-24, GNB92)
Shaming people is a form of manipulation and is wrong. We must not do it. There are better ways of dealing with conflicts. "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." (Romans 12:18, GNB92)
