Verse 3 says, "I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" The call in verse 2 is beyond many believers' expectation. They do not realize that there is the aspect of shame to the cross. They are not inexperienced as to the cross. They may have had deep experiences of the cross already. Although they have suffered a little for the cross and met some persecution and shame, they have always felt that the cross was their glory, their life, and their power. It never occurred to them that the cross would become their shame, that they would not only lose worldly fame, but also their spiritual renown, that others would consider that God has rejected them, and that God would put them through trials and strip them of comfort and sympathy from those whom they know, who would think that they were smitten by God. They may have suffered shame from the world, but spiritual shame is something new to them. This kind of misunderstanding will touch their feeling in a deep way, because it has to do with the relationship between God and them. Only then will they know what it means to "fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ" (Col. 1:24).
How unfamiliar is this calling, yet how cruel! No wonder many shrink back. The maiden may think that God's glory is more important than everything else. In the past, she may have tried to glorify God's name in her life and work. If God allows her to be misunderstood, stripped of her good name, shamed, and considered by others as being in an argument with God, how can she glorify Him any longer? Perhaps she is not thinking of herself as much as she is thinking of God's glory. But she does not realize that her concerns revolve around how she can glorify God. She must be stripped by God to the point that even this good self-intention to glorify God is removed. The cross must work so deeply on her until she is content with the portion that God has allotted for her and until she lets God take care of His own glory.
With those who have heard such a calling, there may be another problem. They may be concerned about God's work. Through the cross they have experienced, others have been attracted to them to learn of the Lord's way. The maiden's past experience of the cross made her a channel of life; those who wanted to follow the Lord had to go to her. But if she answers this new call and allows the cross to bring her to the place of shame, will she not lose her position and opportunities in the work? The past experiences of the cross have attracted others to her. Will not the future experience of the cross turn people away from her? Will anyone draw near to her again? Will anyone want to learn the way of the cross from her? These thoughts may bring hesitation to her footsteps.