THE BLAME GAME

The Blame Game has been around a long time. In the Bible it appears first in Genesis 3. The Lord asked Adam if he had eaten from the “Tree of which he was commanded not to eat.” (v.11) Adam’s answer was classic: “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” (v.12) The Lord then turned to Eve, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” Classic Blame Game numbers one and two.

Both Adam and Eve very clearly and quickly tried to play the victim and then the Blame Game. It has become the social norm in our time to ignore the transgression and ask who or what caused us to commit the offense. It is very strange that it could not possibly be our lack of personal responsibility that has caused us to make a bad decision or commit an outright sin. It must be someone or something else that has caused this.

Rarely do situations change or are forgiven until we fess up and say as did David in Psalm 51:7-11:

“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”

That’s what it means for us to fess up. The Blame Game is over.

“If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Jesus