The Blame Game
“The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”- Genesis 3:12
It was not my finest hour. When I was in middle-school I had a best friend named Robert. We loved playing sports, telling jokes, listening to rap music (that is no typo), and hitting the mall. One day we were in my room playing darts, and let’s just say teenagers, sharp objects, and self-control are not a trusted combination. After hitting the wall at a greater percentage than the dartboard itself, my stepfather waltzed in. At just the mere sight of his disapproval and displeasure, I immediately blamed Robert for creating the wall art. Not only did my stepfather know better, but the blame game cost me losing a friend that day.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, BLAME has become as much a staple in the society as empty toilet paper shelves in the stores. Democrats are blaming republicans and vice-a-versa; people are blaming government for lack of testing, a slow rollout of the stimulus package, and too rigid of safety regulations; some are blaming those who traveled to the states carrying the virus; those playing it super safe are scowling at those who are out in public; those who are more care free are mocking those who have hunkered down; and even certain churches/houses of worship have found themselves in a back and forth of finger-pointing, name-calling, and whistle-blowing.
In the Bible we see that the pollution of blame is always present where the poison of sin has infected hearts, minds, and relationships. Beginning with the very first sin committed in the world (by Adam and Eve) we see blame being the “go to” response to protect and justify. It only continues to spread as Israel blames Moses for their wandering in the wilderness; Saul will blame his army when offering a sacrifice; and even Mary and Martha blame Jesus for their brother not beating death. In John 11:32 Mary says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” The bogus blame cycle continues to this day, contaminating hearts. People will blame their parents for the way they turned out as adults; a person will blame their spouse for holding them back; a student will blame a teacher for the grade they received in a class; an employee will blame their supervisor/company for not getting the promotion; a believer will even blame the church and/or pastor for the reason they do not go to church anymore or trust organized religion. In Matthew 7:3 Jesus says, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
As the people of God and the Church of Jesus Christ we have an opportunity to stop the blame and spread the love. Let’s pray for our leaders! Let’s be understanding with those who respond differently than we do! Let’s not judge those who could use grace in this time! Always remember to love like Jesus and never forget that the “Blame Game” has no winners. The words of Paul in Philippians 2:14-15 says it best, “Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”