Tuesday, February 10, 2015
In high profile sports events such as a Super Bowl or and NBA Championship, the opposing teams are so evenly matched that the outcome is often determined by one particular play or even a supposedly bad call by an official. When the latter occurs, great controversy and much loud squawking arises because of it and continues long after the game, sometimes even becoming part of history. When the coach of the losing team is honest and level headed he will quickly explain that although the game’s outcome seemed to be determined by one notable play, his team made other bad calls and plays, or else made other poor decisions during the game that the outcome should not have hindered on one play alone. In other words, there were many other factors that led up to that loss.
It is that way in life as well and here is just one example: We’ve heard time and time again of people who want to sue a doctor or a hospital because their loved one died because of their neglect or one operation gone wrong. No one took into consideration the fact that the one who died himself had a long pattern of neglect regarding his or her health. Sometimes, people will die simply because they refuse to take their prescribed medication. In the 22nd Chapter of Ezekiel, God told the prophet that the judgment that was soon coming upon Jerusalem was self-inflicted. It reminded me of this great spiritual truth: No one can blame his troubles on someone else. Earlier, these same Israelites had used this lame excuse: Our father ate sour grapes and our teeth are set on edge. (Ez. 18:2) Many ages have come and gone, and people are still the same. Often, we want to believe that some situation or person other than ourselves, is to blame for our frustration, misery, or unhappiness. That is not true! From the beginning of time, God revealed this truth to Cain: If you do what is right, you will be accepted. If not, sin is crouching at your door. (Gen. 4:7) You see, after he became an outcast for killing his brother, Abel, he had the audacity to complain to God that his punishment was greater than he could bare, (Genesis 4:13) yet God had warned him before the fact and Cain ignored Him.
It is common to hear people everywhere blame their troubles on something or someone else, and it is no longer rare to hear celebrities claim all of a sudden that they were abused as children, in most cases revealing their stories long after their parents’ deaths. If we are God’s children, lets be different. Let us not forget that, in the end, our lives are led, ordered, and guided by God. Nothing can ever happen to us that He does not know about, even in advance, and our future depends on Him and no other. Lets not play the blame game.
Memory verse for the week: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
