Daily Thought for Wedneday, June 29th

June 29, 2011

Accepting Responsibility

Today’s Thought:

“People in our culture have a morbid tendency to avoid blame, because they do not wish to take the trouble to change their conduct in any way: blame-avoidance and blame-transference are therefore endemic among us.  These are substitutes for repentance and renewal.” – from a Texas Behavior Research Project

Today’s Quote:

“A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame someone else.” – William Burroughs

Today’s Question

Have you ever noticed that: “our culture peculiarly honors the act of blaming, which it takes as the sign of virtue and intellect?” – Lionel Trilling

Today’s Bible Verses:            Genesis 3:9-13

And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.  And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.  And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

“We are all exceptional cases.  We all want to appeal against something!  Each of us insists on being innocent at all cost even if he has to accuse the whole human race and heaven itself.” – Albert Camus

The art of passing the buck and not taking responsibility for ones own actions is a behavior that is not a new thing.  It began with Adam and has continued to be practiced, expanded and refined down through the ages.  Adam blamed Eve and even hinted that maybe it was God’s fault because He put Eve in the Garden.  How like us, when we run out of others to blame we blame God because after all He allowed this or that to happen.

We need to wake up and come to the realization that no one is going to take the blame for us when we stand before God in judgment.  God will insist that we accept responsibility for our own choices and deeds.

Keep this in mind: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – The Bible (1 John 1:8-9)   In order to confess and repent we must first acknowledge our part and our responsibility for the thing done wrong.

In both our spiritual and our physical lives it might not hurt to remember this: “When I was a boy, my mother used to say to me, ‘Never point your finger at anyone because when you do, three fingers are pointing back at you.’” – Dr. John Sentamu, Archbishop of York

Be bold and courageous and accept your part in the choices you make and the actions you take and then be ready, and willing to accept the consequences for them.

Today’s Prayer:

Father, I know the devil can’t make me do anything I don’t agree to do: so help me to have the strength, wisdom and courage to resist the devil when he tempts me; and to flea the appearances of evil when they seem alluring and want to suck me into their web.  And when I do fail, which I will, may I have enough courage to admit my wrong, repent and seek your mercy and grace with regards to the potential consequences of my choices.