Blaming others

We live in a society which teaches us to blame other people for our problems. And we go along with it because blaming others is in our spiritual bloodstream. Passing the buck is part of our inherited sin nature. Adam was the first buckpasser; Eve was the second. But they weren’t the last. After thousands of years, we’ve learned our lessons well.  

“Just  as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What we inherit from Adam brings us only pain, frustration and death. Adam taught us how to sin; he introduced us to shame and guilt. We learned from him how to hide from God. He taught us how to blame others as a means of evading personal responsibility. That’s what we get from Father Adam.

“God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

By virtue of our faith in Jesus Christ, we have been raised from the dead. Now there is the possibility of breaking those old Adamic habits. It is actually possible to stop making excuses. It is actually possible to stop blaming others for our problems. 

One thing, and one thing only, is required. You must see your need and you must want Jesus Christ to change you. Nothing short of that will suffice. 

That’s what grace is all about. Jesus Christ takes  people who have no hope and he gives them a hope and a future. He takes people who are down on their luck and makes them recipients of sovereign grace.

With Jesus in your life you: You no longer need to defend yourself. You no longer have to blame others for your problems. You don’t have to win every time.

You have tried and tried, and it seems like the harder you try, the behinder you get. In some ways it is true. Your face is covered with the muck and mire of repeated defeat. 

Are you tempted to blame others for your problems? Are you tempted to take the muck and mire and throw it on them? Don’t do it. All you’ll do is make them dirty. You won’t make yourself clean. You can’t get rid of the dirt by throwing it on someone else.

If you are willing to accept responsibility for your own life, Jesus is willing to come in and do his work in your life. He can redeem your failures and your mistakes. He can turn the muck and mire into compost. And from the fertilizer of your failure, a new life can grow.

Jesus can do that. That’s what grace is all about.

But you’ve got to stop throwing that stuff on other people. You’ve got to finally say, “This dirt is mine.” When you do, the work of redemption begins. And when at last the Divine Gardener has done his work, something beautiful will begin to blossom out of the soil of your bitter mistakes.