Thursday, October 13, 2011

Who's to Blame?


What comes to mind when you think of “sour grapes?” Some might think of a sharp and hard taste the would be very uncomfortable for a long span of time. In Ezekiel 18:1-4, it says, The word of the Lord came to me again saying, “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? “As I live,” says the Lord God, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel. “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.”

Israel loved to make excuses for their idolatry. They lived according to their own desires and forgot the God of Heaven, Jehovah, for days without number. Every time they would fall away, God would have to bring judgment upon them to return them to His laws.

Like we of today, the children of Israel looked for someone else to blame for their own sin. In their search for self-justification they came up with a really cute and logical proverb that went like this: “The fathers may eat the sour grapes but the children’s teeth will be set on edge.” This meant that whatever the fathers of each successive generation did may not affect them but it would surely affect their children and grandchildren. This was Israel’s way of blaming their forefathers and even God, for the sin that they committed and the judgments they had to face. In using this proverb they absolved themselves from the penalty for their own sin and placed it upon the head of their ancestors.

Aren't we good at placing the blame of our wrong doings on others as well. It's so much easier to let others take the fall so we can keep face. Don't be looking around. Stop it! Look no further than yourself and ask yourself, “Self, why do I put the blame on others rather than accept it myself?” The answer is a no brainer, you want to look good no matter what it might cost others. 
 
John Killinger tells about the manager of a minor league baseball team who was so disgusted with his center fielder’s performance that he ordered him to the dugout and assumed the position himself. The first ball that came into center field took a bad hop and hit the manager in the mouth. The next one was a high fly ball, which he lost in the glare of the sun--until it bounced off his forehead. The third was a hard line drive that he charged with outstretched arms; unfortunately, it flew between is hands and smacked his eye. Furious, he ran back to the dugout, grabbed the center fielder by the uniform, and shouted. ’You idiot! You’ve got center field so messed up that even I can’t do a thing with it! [Don McCullough, Discipleship Journal]
 
No one likes to be wrong about anything and we truly don't have to be if there is a scapegoat at our disposal. Do you like being the scapegoat? Of course not! So why are you looking for one? Be a man or woman about the whole matter and take your just reward for your actions.  Stop looking for "Who's to Blame."

In Christian love,