“Mr. Caleb, can I help you with that?” My student Jesse got up from where he was sitting in class to help one of my fellow missionaries carry a couple of bulky packages.

“No, no, it’s fine, thank you. They are not very heavy and I am just setting them right here,” Mr. Caleb replied.

All the rest of the kids laughed as Jesse returned to his seat. “Stop laughing, or I will beat you up,” Jesse replied angrily, effectively silencing his comrades. Jesse is usually a pretty interactive student, but he buried his face in his hands for the remainder of class and didn’t say a word.

I was out of town when all this occurred, but when I heard about it later, I could not understand why Jesse had gotten so upset about this simple interaction.

Thankfully, my friends Vincent and Adam willingly enlightened me: “Jesse was really ashamed because Mr. Caleb refused his help. In our culture, it shames a person if they go out of their way to help you and then you refuse their aid.”

Later, my fellow student missionary Livy and I discussed what had happened. “You know,” she said, “this cultural context gives a whole deeper understanding of the gospel. Jesus left His throne in heaven and came all the way down to Earth to help us overcome our sins. Just like Jesse was shamed when Mr. Caleb refused his help, so we shame Christ when we spurn Him! Hebrews 6:6 points this out when it tells us that when we reject Jesus, we ‘crucify . . . the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame’ (KJV).”

The plan of redemption is not just about the theology of justification or sanctification. Rather, it is about our relationship with a God who loves us so much that He was willing to suffer the shame of rejection before the whole universe so He could offer us the power to have victory over sin. Jesus knew most of us would reject Him, yet He humbled Himself anyway. That is the God I want to serve. What about you?

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