--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us keep our shame and be made clean!…" description: "\"“Let us keep our shame and be made clean! Shame is not defilement, though a mean pride persuades men so. On the contrary, the man who is honestly asham..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/george-macdonald-295_shame_let-us-keep-our-shame-and-be-made-clean_1190913.png" --- # Let us keep our shame and be made clean! Shame is not… ![“Let us keep our shame and be made clean! Shame is not defilement, though a mean pride persuades men so. On the contrary, the man who is honestly ashamed has begun to be clean.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/george-macdonald-295_shame_let-us-keep-our-shame-and-be-made-clean_1190913.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/george-macdonald-295_shame_let-us-keep-our-shame-and-be-made-clean_1190913.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/george-macdonald-295_shame_let-us-keep-our-shame-and-be-made-clean_1190913.png) > ““Let us keep our shame and be made clean! Shame is not defilement, though a mean pride persuades men so. On the contrary, the man who is honestly ashamed has begun to be clean.”” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True shame is a cleansing honesty, unlike prideful shame that corrupts. **In simple terms:** Honest shame cleans; prideful shame corrupts. Key Takeaway Embrace honest shame. Themes humility morality spirituality self‑awareness Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual practice - conflict resolution - leadership - counseling Key Concepts shame purity pride ethical growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish honest shame from prideful shame? - What practices foster genuine humility? A Different Perspective Pride can masquerade as shame, confusing the moral signal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) ## Related quotes > [“...if it had to be shame, then let it be shame; if it had to be disgrace, then let it be disgrace; if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dostoevsky/if-it-had-to-be-shame-then-let-it-be-shame-if-it-had-to-be-disgrace/) [Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dostoevsky/) > [“The idea was that if we did such things, we would see that the worst that could happen was usually not so bad, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-ameisen-olivier/the-idea-was-that-if-we-did-such-things-we-would-see-that-the-worst/) Dr Ameisen Olivier > [Shame is not your friend. It depletes your power. Let go of shame and embrace your magnificence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/shame-is-not-your-friend-it-depletes-your-power-let-go-of-shame-and/) [Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/) > [Never let anyone shame you into doing anything you don't choose to do. Keep your identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-susann/never-let-anyone-shame-you-into-doing-anything-you-don-t-choose-to-do/) [Jacqueline Susann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-susann/) > [Today I will learn to reject shame. Shame is an overwhelming sense that who I am isn't good enough. I realize that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/today-i-will-learn-to-reject-shame-shame-is-an-overwhelming-sense/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [A man away from home need feel no shame. Let's go out there and shame ourselves like crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaori/a-man-away-from-home-need-feel-no-shame-let-s-go-out-there-and-shame/) KAORI > [Nature her custom holds, Let shame say what it will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nature-her-custom-holds-let-shame-say-what-it-will/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I hold my peace, sir? no; No, I will speak as liberal as the north; Let heaven and men and devils, let them all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-hold-my-peace-sir-no-no-i-will-speak-as-liberal-as-the-north-let/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [So I let my shame own me, kill me, wilt me away into a thousand dead flakes, knowing if I kept it all in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sorensen/so-i-let-my-shame-own-me-kill-me-wilt-me-away-into-a-thousand-dead/) [Jessica Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sorensen/) > [Too much of water hast thou poor Ophelia, and therefore I forbid my tears. But yet it is our trick, let shame say what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/too-much-of-water-hast-thou-poor-ophelia-and-therefore-i-forbid-my-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“If we can find someone who has earned the right to hear our story, we need to tell it. Shame loses power when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-we-can-find-someone-who-has-earned-the-right-to-hear-our-story-we/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If a man suffers ill, let it be without shame; for this is the only profit when we are dead. You will never say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/if-a-man-suffers-ill-let-it-be-without-shame-for-this-is-the-only/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“Well, there is no rehabilitating myself now. So let me shame them for all I am worth. I will show them I don't care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/well-there-is-no-rehabilitating-myself-now-so-let-me-shame-them-for/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [It's a shame that when you've actually lived some life and have something to write about, they're saying you're too old to come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/it-s-a-shame-that-when-you-ve-actually-lived-some-life-and-have/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [“So she bowed her head and devoted herself to Beartown’s real traditional sports: shame and silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/so-she-bowed-her-head-and-devoted-herself-to-beartown-s-real/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Shame quotes > [“So she bowed her head and devoted herself to Beartown’s real traditional sports: shame and silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/so-she-bowed-her-head-and-devoted-herself-to-beartown-s-real/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [It's a shame that when you've actually lived some life and have something to write about, they're saying you're too old to come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/it-s-a-shame-that-when-you-ve-actually-lived-some-life-and-have/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Mine would be, "We will stand together, he and I. One in victory, one in shame. Only then can I truly own the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mine-would-be-we-will-stand-together-he-and-i-one-in-victory-one-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [Telling a story of illness, one pulls a thread through a narrow opening flanked on one side by shame and the other by trivia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/telling-a-story-of-illness-one-pulls-a-thread-through-a-narrow/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [ I guarantee you \[Hillary Clinton\] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that \[Donald\] Trump's the guy to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoking-in-humiliation-over-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“There's something energizing about getting what you want, even if that something is shame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-sager/there-s-something-energizing-about-getting-what-you-want-even-if-that/) [Riley Sager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-sager/) > [Most readers, then and now, have at some time experienced the humiliation of being told that their occupation is reprehensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/most-readers-then-and-now-have-at-some-time-experienced-the/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [“He stopped at an intersection, panting, rubbing at the twinge in his hamstrings, looking around, though he knew no cars were coming in either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/he-stopped-at-an-intersection-panting-rubbing-at-the-twinge-in-his/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [“Shame is the deepest of the “negative emotions,” a feeling we will do almost anything to avoid. Unfortunately, our abiding fear of shame impairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/shame-is-the-deepest-of-the-negative-emotions-a-feeling-we-will-do/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [“To shame our sins He blushed in blood; He closed His eyes to show us God; Let all the world fall down and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/to-shame-our-sins-he-blushed-in-blood-he-closed-his-eyes-to-show-us/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) [Browse all 4,033 Shame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let us keep our shame and be made clean! 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