Genesis 3:12 The man said, "The woman you put here with
me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
I call it the “blame game.” You know about it, too. Someone does something
diabolically wicked and it’s reported in the newspaper. The evidence is there
and enough witnesses come forward to make the conviction stand. And then we read
about parents, relatives, and friends who sobbingly declare that their child
would never do this, or that the police have framed him, or that the System
(whatever that is) is to blame. In other words, the wicked event – a murder, a
rape, or an armed robbery – all took place by itself. And even though the
evidence and witnesses clearly point to his or her guilt, the perpetrator is
surely not to blame.
I’ve also seen it happen with drug addicts and alcoholics. I’ve sadly watched
them ruin their lives, lose their jobs, and sever themselves from their families
and friends. Despite all of these unfortunate things, the addict still
mistakenly believes that someone else is to blame.
It’s a sad part of the human condition which has been with us since the very
beginning. In the Garden of Eden, God discovers that Adam and Eve have eaten the
forbidden fruit. When God questions the couple, Adam blames Eve (and also God
for making her). Eve blames the serpent. No one is willing to stand up and say,
“God, I cannot tell a lie. It was me.” They don’t even say that they are sorry.
Left to ourselves, human beings can be highly irresponsible and totally
unrepentant. But through the mercy of God, the Holy Spirit sometimes afflicts
and convicts us of our mistakes. When that happens we have two simple choices:
we can go on thinking that we’re not to blame, or we can come to Christ’s Cross
and ask Him to hear our confessions. If we approach Him sincerely, He will
cancel our sins. We will be at last freed from the “Blame Game” and received
into the Light of Christ.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to name our shame and impart from our hearts the
failures, mistakes, and blame for the sins we have committed, the relationships
we have ruined, and the wrongs we have done. Grant us the courage to make things
right with You and with those we have hurt, disappointed, or decried. In Your
Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart traqair@aol.com
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.