The Blame Game

Comedian Flip Wilson could always get a laugh by saying, “The devil made me do it.” It’s a line as old as the Garden of Eden.

When God confronted Adam and Eve for eating what was forbidden, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the Serpent . . . so the blame game began . . . and continues to this day.

Instead of blame, we are cautioned to think for ourselves. Ancient wisdom says, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” (Proverbs 4:23 GNT)

The Apostle James plunges right into straight talk: “We are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires.”

But there’s more! “Our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15 GNT)

One of the best examples of this is King David, in 2 Samuel 11 and 12. When he saw Bathsheba, he was tempted, sent messengers to find out who she was, sent more messengers to bring her to him, and after they slept together, she returned home.

But David got trapped by his wrongful desire. He had slept with another man’s wife; now she was pregnant. One sin led to another . . . next he planned a coverup.

Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was in the military, so David called for his return. Twice he talked with Uriah and told him to go home to his wife. More honorable than David, Uriah slept at the palace with the servants.

David then moved further into sin by giving Uriah a letter ordering Commander Joab to place this soldier on the front lines.  

Sin is selfish. David gave no thought to other men being killed. He wanted Uriah gone! After Bathsheba’s days of mourning, David took her as his wife, but God did not let their baby live.

He sent Nathan the prophet to confront David about his sin. He told David a parable of a rich man with many flocks who took a poor man’s only ewe lamb. When David’s righteous indignation flared up at the rich man, Nathan said, “You are that man!”

Hearing that, David humbled himself and said, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13 NKJV)

Acknowledging personal responsibility was the end of his blame game. It can also be the end of ours. 

Consider this prayer of David: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 NKJV)