Yashwant Rao’s life in Karnataka, India, included some personal vices that made him feel ashamed. Then a life-changing thing happened. Yashwant received Jesus as his Savior after a pastor in his village repeatedly and lovingly reached out to him.

Then God led this new believer to share his faith with the Dalits, or “untouchables,” the lowest of the low in the Indian caste system. In the past few years, he has seen many of these shamed people become believers in Jesus!

Shame is as old as Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). When they disobeyed God and chose to chow on what He forbade (v.6), they “suddenly felt shame” (v.7). The trust with their loving Creator had been broken. The trust they shared with each other had also been broken—remember whom Adam blamed when God confronted him? “It was the woman You gave me who gave me the fruit” (v.12).

Their shame became our shame. We became “untouchables”—poisoned by the sin of the very first man and woman. But that’s not the end of the story . . .

Much like Yashwant Rao extending his hands of mercy to the Dalits of India, God extended His grace to us. “The sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:15).

When we choose to receive Jesus’ grace and salvation, we are set free from shame. We are free to worship Him with joy. We are able to fellowship with Him—and others—with clean hearts!

If you are a believer in Jesus and have repented of your sins, the shame of your past is gone. You have been lifted up. You are no longer “untouchable,” for you have been touched by God’s cleansing grace.