Shame is distinct from guilt or conviction. Guilt says, “You did something bad.” Shame says, “You are bad.” Lewis Smedes, former professor at Fuller Seminary, defines shame this way: “A vague, undefined heaviness that presses on our spirit, dampens our gratitude for the goodness of life, and slackens the free flow of joy. Jesus bore our shame on the cross, enduring the most shameful treatment and death imaginable. His sacrifice liberates us from the shackles of shame, enabling us to live in the light of his love.