Issue 926 – The Blame Game – December 3, 2022
The blame game is as old as humanity itself and made its debut in the garden of Eden.
After explicit instructions not to, Eve gave in to temptation initiated by the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit. Adam, who was supposed to be her protector, also ate it.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:8-13
When confronted by God and given time to repent, Adam blamed Eve, and she blamed the serpent. God didn’t even bother to ask the serpent.
It comes so naturally to us in a fallen world. Even very young children will blame someone or something else. It isn’t a skill that they need to be taught.
The desire to not get into trouble by taking responsibility for our actions starts very young.
In today’s culture, there is a prevailing idea that everyone is the victim of someone or something. There is no taking personal responsibility. It’s a highly destructive culture.
If we don’t take responsibility for our actions, we can’t grow. The problems never get resolved, and we stay trapped in a mire of false victimhood.
There are circumstances where outside factors can have an influence. We might have problems inherent in our genetics or have parents that were not as skilled as they might have been. Bad things happen to people. Still, we can only coast along on those excuses for so long before we need to grow past them.
One of the things that makes the gospel unappealing to many people is that it requires us to take responsibility for our actions. We cannot come to Christ unless we recognize and repent of our sin. That realization is part and parcel of accepting Christ by faith.
Jesus doesn’t force Himself on people. We must recognize our needs, which cannot happen when we keep blaming others.
God responds to contrite hearts.
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. Isaiah 66:1-2
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
The blame game has no winners, only losers.
May your heart ever be humble and contrite.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2022 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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