The Blame Game

Confessing our sins is something people don’t want to do anymore. People today generally blame everyone else for their sins and say, “It’s not my fault!”

The story is told of Frederic the Great, the king of Prussia. He was visiting a prison and talking with each of the inmates. As he spoke to them, there were endless tales of innocence, exploitation, and misunderstood motives. Of course, no one in this prison was guilty. They were all framed and innocent. Finally, the king stopped at the cell of a convict who remained silent. Frederic said, “Well, I suppose you are an innocent victim too.”

“No sir,” said the prisoner, “I’m not. I am guilty and I deserve my punishment.”

Turning to the warden, Frederic said, “Quick, get this man out of here before he corrupts these other innocent people.” Frederic the Great couldn’t believe he had found an honest man—someone who would own up to what he had done wrong.

Do you need to own up to something you have done? Or are you playing the blame game? I heard one summary of blame put this way: “Blame never affirms; it always assaults. Blame never solves; it always complicates. Blame never unites; it always separates. Blame never smiles; it always frowns. Blame never forgives; it always rejects. Blame never forgets; it always remembers. Blame never builds; it always destroys.”

How true. We tend to say, “It’s everybody’s fault but mine.” But there is going to have to come a point in your life when you say, “I have sinned. I have committed this iniquity. The problem is me.” The day you confess your sins and turn to God will be the day God will change your life.