Who’s to Blame?
I want to share with you something that I found to be interesting and challenging at the same time. Along with that, it is also a very good reason for self-examination.
I listened to a podcast during which a father had a conversation with his adult son. The subject most discussed during the conversation/interview was the son’s addiction to drugs and alcohol. Fortunately, he has been “clean” now for a number of years.
What interested me was the motivating factor that led to his recovery. The discussion turned to the idea that people need to “hit bottom” before they can turn things around. It surprised me to learn that the son’s opinion was that this is not necessarily the case. He related that even attempts at suicide were not enough to get him to see the need to change his life.
I will not go into detail about some things in his life that would cause many of us to think that maybe one or more of those things could have contributed to his former lifestyle. However, when his father asked him what caused him to turn things around in his life, he did not mention any of them. Neither did he mention “hitting rock bottom,” having some sort of epiphany, a fear of death, a good friend, or any number of other things we might think of.
Instead, his answer was the reason for this entire post. I went back and listened to the podcast again to make sure I had the exact quote. Here it is:
“When I looked around and I realized that I had no one left to blame for my problems.”
“The blame game” goes all the way back to The Garden of Eden. I’m sure that all of us have played it at one time or another. I know that I have.
One young man’s statement is a challenge to me. It also serves as wake-up call and as a reminder about something the Bible teaches us:
…As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Rom 14:11-12)
AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
