Galatians 6:5: For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
It is hard to accept blame. It is easier to shift the blame to others or to something else so you feel justified. It’s a defense mechanism to keep you from having to deal honestly with your mistakes, mess ups, or the part you played in a situation. It is easy to fall prey to shifting blame from you to another. I am sure many of you are familiar with blaming the dog for eating your homework, some of you may be familiar with blaming your sibling for eating the last cookie in the pantry, or blaming the traffic for arriving late to an appointment. If I left home 30 minutes earlier, I would be on time. I am the first to say, guilty.
There comes a time in your life when you must take responsibility for your actions. A time to stop enabling others and yourself in what I call “the Blame Waltz” because you don’t want to accept the role you played in the situation. I wonder, are we conditioned to shift blame? It seems as though it is natural and acceptable that the blame waltz is enabled rather than disabled. I wonder how different this world would be if instead of dancing “the blame waltz” we look to forgive and heal one another? Maturity teaches that no one wins playing the blame game aka dancing the blame waltz.
Today’s verse is a reminder that we are each responsible for our own conduct. I encourage you today to pay attention to the times you make a conscious effort to forgive and heal rather than to point the finger. Let me know how you do with this exercise.
Dear Father,
Thank you for the reminder that we are each responsible for our conduct. I pray that all your children are reminded that they are each responsible for their own action. I ask this in your son Jesus’ name. Amen!
Learn it. Live it. Lead it.
Ilka v. Chavez