Good morning Father, and I thank you for another blessed day. I thank you for a stress free work week. I pray Father that you will grant me a blessed weekend as well. I pray the same for the reader and doer of your word. I pray as we continue throughout the day, that you will guide and protect us from all hurt, harm or danger. I pray a hedge of protection around our loved ones. I pray that you soften the hearts to those who wish to operate in deceit towards us. I pray a covering oh God, that would exhibit that we belong to you, and will excite fear in those who dare attempt to attack us physically or characteristically. We just pray that you just love us as you always do, day by day. We pray that you instill your Spirit in us to desire the things you desire. And Father, if we haven’t said enough, we pray that all our current sins, whether by thought, speech, or deed, be forgiven. We honor, adore, and praise you. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen.
About 15 years ago, I knew a young man who ran the streets. He ran the streets hard, and to him it was beneficial. People listened to him when he spoke, and many feared when he got angry. He had power. However, the time came when he lost that power, and had to change his life around or else he would lose his life. His prior means for making a living was the illegal way, and since he chose a new direction, he had to find legal means to make ends meet. What legal and easy way to make money other than working in a fast food restaurant. He figured if he could not work there, he does not deserve to work anywhere. He went in without filling out an application and sort of demanded a job, and by a miracle he started the next day. He started out in the grill area. It was easy enough, when it was slow. One time there was a big rush and he wasn’t able to handle it. When one area was too much he blamed others and made excuses. When moved to another area as way of comfort, same result. This happened to every area in the kitchen until the manager got frustrated and sent him to the back to wait.
After the rush, the manager came to let the young man have it. He said “you come here demanding a job as though if we did not give it to you there would be a problem. You then get to start, and you have an excuse for ever area you fail. I know your kind and you do not scare me. If you become a problem I will just call the police, and let them deal with you.” After feeling frustrated the young man decides he does not want to work there, and then the manager says, “So when you go back to the streets and it is not how you left it, you will then blame me. Man up son or your road will become even more difficult.” The young man experienced something he never experienced before. He was not in control, he had no options, and he was faced with someone who did not fear him. The manager taught him a very valuable lesson. That lesson was accountability. That young man eventually stayed at the job for 3 years and was the manager’s 1st assistant. Unbeknownst to him, that manager was someone else before, and somebody gave him a chance. Also, that was the beginning of God using that young man. That young man was me.
Why do some people shift blame on others? Sometimes they cannot cope with unfamiliar situations so they blame others for thier behavior. Sometimes it is lack of control so by blaming others it can lead one to believe they have some power. Also it can be due to guilt for not accepting responsibility for their actions. Adam and Eve are a prime example. The bible states Adam and Eve were both naked and were not ashamed (Gen 2:25). They had no reason to be, because they were in God’s presence and were innocent. However this changed when the serpent persuaded Eve to disobey God’s command, and Eve persuaded Adam to do the same. The bible states “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” (Ge 3:7) They just experienced for the first time in their life how it felt to disobey God. When God was looking for them, they hid. Adam explained why, and God automatically knew. He wanted Adam to say it so he asked if he pretty much disobeyed Him. It was a simple yes or no. Adam said, “Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." (Ge 3:12) Eve said “The serpent deceived me, and I ate." (Ge 3:13) Adam blamed God, Eve blamed the serpent, and who was the serpent going to blame, God for kicking him out of heaven?
Isn’t that how we get sometime? Things do not go our way; we blame God for not answering our prayers. A man cheats on his wife; he blames the wife for being boring. Black men in the dumps, they blame the white man. Black men dating white women, black women blame the white women for stealing their men. Blame, blame, blame!!! When will that nasty pointy finger make an about-face and point to its owner? This is serious family. Anyone who blames is selfish, deceitful, wicked, and enjoys living a lie. Who does these traits belong to? It surely does not belong to God. When a person is accustomed to pushing blame, they are slow to repent. They would never acknowledge wrong, and would work hard to shun the truth. These are individuals who rather hear a dressed up lie because it feels good, than the naked truth which cuts.
When I look back on how I was, I was really headed down a wrong road. I was a child of the devil and did not even know it. Family, it is hard to live a Christian life because there is so much things to fix, but by God’s help we can make it; one area at a time. This may not apply to you, but you can at least identify it for what it is. It is not of God. Amen!
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