There is a tremendous temptation on the
part of both children and adults to shift blame. This can be
damaging and overwhelming at times. This rotten behavior of shifting
blame has been around since the beginning in the Garden of Eden. Our
first father, Adam, modeled this behavior. Of course, it is so much
easier to focus on blaming others than to take full responsibility of
our own personal actions. But, this blame shifting is only a sign of
living an unrepented life, cowardice, fear, immaturity and why not a
combination of all. We must learn to first see the beam in our own
eye before focusing on our brother's mote, Matthew 7:1-6. This is
vital to restore peace in our homes and the church. We must be
willing to take responsibility for our own actions in order to live a
life that pleases God and lead others to Him. The only way to
victory! Consider the following poem.
Blame Yourself !
There’s a nasty green temptation that
afflicts most everyone
To skirt responsibility when we’ve
done something that’s wrong.
Instead of ‘fessing up like men to
the blackness of our heart,
We focus on the other guy’s fault and
emphasize his part.
Here’s a hardy, healthy maxim given
long ago by Dad,
With a world of wealthy wisdom which
will triumph over fad:
God has given you great mercy; You’ve
been spared the very worst.
Be gen’rous to others — Blame
yourself first!
The poor response by Adam on the day he
broke God’s Law
Was to shift the blame to Eve using an
argument of straw,
Thus establishing for Mankind this most
unattractive flaw.
Learn from his mistake — Stop and
blame yourself!
When you’re feeling kinda fickle
‘bout the pickle that you’re in,
Teary puddles you’re producing, as
your noodle cooks the sin,
But complaining while explaining never
leads to a win-win.
Take a breath, think again — And
blame yourself!
When befuddled and besmirched, without
a horse before the cart,
It’s ever so convenient to forget
Your own wretched part,
And recount with gory details His worst
mistakes from the start.
Bite your tongue, take the hit — Just
blame yourself!
There’s a way to say “I’m sorry”
that’s clearly not repentance,
Taking some responsibility to minimize
your sentence,
While giving him the lion’s share
with most self-righteous vengeance.
This is not true contrition — Blame
yourself!
When you’re backed against the wall,
because you’re in a rotten mess,
Next you feel the pressure mounting,
and you’re needing to confess,
But by shifting blame to others, you
won’t mitigate the stress,
De-escalate the crisis — Blame
yourself!
There’s another type of shifting
reminiscent of a snake.
It happens when you twist and turn the
other’s words and then take
Advantage of their absence through your
sad one-sided remake.
But that’ll really bite you — Just
blame yourself!
If you break the Ninth Commandment,
just to save your precious skin,
Using just a little half-truth, so it
doesn’t seem like sin,
But a half truth is a whole lie, and
another form of spin.
Better focus on your part — Blame
yourself!
By sustaining all your blaming, as you
prosecute and try,
Your convincing is evincing such a
self-deceptive high,
Your evasion becomes persuasion: You
believe your own lie!
But that doesn’t change the truth —
Blame yourself!
If you blame others less, and blame
yourself more,
It may rub against the grain, and feel
an awful chore,
But by doing you’re subduing pride
and opening a door!
For future hope and peace — So blame
yourself!
A gentle word assuages wrath, and less
fire kills the flame.
Speak to your brother privately, or he
may put you to shame.
Don’t accuse him before others, lest
your tempted to defame.
And while we’re on the subject —
Blame yourself!
When life is looking mighty grave, and
your heart hungers for health,
Take a queue from the Word, quickly
take the Bible off the shelf.
Stop and ask the living God to help you
learn to die to self.
Be a truly humble man and blame
yourself!
Anonymous
Luci
Luci