READ: Genesis 3: 11-12 NLT




The Lord God asked, “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” 




The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden has a very contemporary ring to it. Blaming others is as much a way of life today for many people as it was for Adam long, long ago. He knew he had done wrong because he had eaten the forbidden fruit but he was desperate to wriggle out of the situation and dump the blame on Eve. But he even went further than that, suggesting that God bore some responsibility because he had given Eve to him.
We all know the temptation to blame others. Our parents, our children, our teachers, our employers and the governments under which we have lived were all far from perfect so we generously heap the blame on them. But it isn’t good enough, and we know it. We need to take responsibility and recognize that although we are certainly not the only guilty party, we must accept responsibility and own up to the fact that we have done wrong.
I have known people who continually blamed others. That is so sad. Their attitude not only made their own lives miserable but spread misery to those around them. Others may indeed be to blame but if we only draw attention to their failures we will get a completely distorted understanding of them. May God help us to be generous, loving and forgiving when we see the faults of others, recognizing our own shortcomings. Dumping the blame on other people might feel satisfying for a short while but it offers a miserable way of life.
QUESTION: Think of someone whom you are inclined to blame. What would be the better way of responding to them?
PRAYER: Lord, forgive me that I am often tempted to blame others when things go wrong. Help me to take responsibility for my failings and to show more patience and forgiveness when others do wrong. Amen.

Released on 7 Jan 2021