Getting Past the Blame Game/Play Ball!
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Straight to the Cross
COLUMN: Hands-on Faith
Getting Past the Blame Game
by Barry Newton
I walked into the living room and dropped down
onto the couch after a long day. From across the
room a popular psychologist was busily chattering
away through my tv set. My wife seemed to be
engaged in listening to the program as she worked
on a project. This was not how I was hoping the
evening would unfold.
Just as I was planning my creative exit, something
pleasantly surprised me. Essentially, this
counselor acknowledged that injustices, neglect
and other problems can leave their scars upon
people, but people still are responsible for what
they do! The psychologist then informed a guest on
his show that although his guest had not enjoyed
the advantage of a positive male role model, this
did not relieve him from the responsibility of
fulfilling his role as a husband. He then began to
hammer away at what it meant to be a husband. This
is not what I was expecting to hear from a popular
psychologist. I do not know about his other shows,
but he got this one right.
Consequences do exist. If we were raised in a
dysfunctional family setting or within a homelife
crippled by the spiritually impoverished air of
secularism, chances are that as adults we will
find ourselves grappling with trying to manage the
damage in order to live as God intends. When
strong godly role models are replaced by
dysfunctional or inept ones, this can leave
scars.*
In a world filled with abuse, neglect, self-
centeredness, self-destructive patterns and every
other form of sin, it is easy to blame others for
our own inadequacies. The blame game began in the
Garden of Eden and it seems to remain a favorite.
It is so easy to try to shirk the responsibility
for our actions by blaming someone else. But have
you noticed that Jesus never inquired into
someone's past experiences as a guide for
prescribing what standard should be fulfilled in
their life? Jesus may have addressed how certain
individuals should deal with specific issues of
sin, but consistently Jesus called people to be
accountable in living up to the very same
standard.
While some might find it harder to do what is
right, we are all responsible for whether we
fulfill our various roles. If such thoughts make
us angry, should not our anger be focused at the
terribleness of sin and not at God? Knowing what
is good for us, God's anger burns against sin.
In Jesus' parables, just because someone was a
servant of the Master did not guarantee that he
would hear, "Well done, good and faithful
servant."
How do we get past the blame game? It is a matter
of realizing that regardless of what might have
happened in the past which can make today more
difficult, ultimately I am responsible for what I
choose to actually do.
__________
*Because there are consequences for how
children are raised, the importance of providing a
strong godly nurturing environment for a child is
irreplaceable. Every mother with young children
who chooses to stay home for the purpose of
raising those children should be highly praised.
You may not bring in an income, but your work will
have repercussions for decades to come.
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COLUMN: The X-Files
Play Ball!
by Mitchell Skelton
One beautiful, sunny afternoon two baseball teams
met to play a game. Although it was expected to be
a good game, one team was assured of victory. The
teams dressed in their respective uniforms, the
White Sox in white and the Black Sox in black.
Game time approached and the Black Sox were ready,
all of the team was there and ready to play, not
at all discouraged by the fact that the best
player to ever play the game was on the opposing
team. The White Sox, however, were having some
problems. Chris, the greatest player to ever play
the game was ready to play but some of the other
players were not moved by his enthusiasm. The
first basemen as well as the third baseman were
missing in action. The catcher finally showed up,
seconds before game time. All three outfielders
attended, yet two of them had not bothered to show
up for practice in a while. Chris took the mound,
yet had to pitch to the outfielder. He and the
catcher were forced to switch positions because of
the catcher's tardiness. Finally, the game started
and the Black Sox showed that they came to play.
Chris lived up to his billing. He covered first
and third bases as well at the pitching duties.
Outfield play was a disappointment with the tardy
catcher and the two who had not bothered to
practice. They were rusty and not at all able to
withstand the barrage of hits that came their way.
Chris was able to muster two outs on his own while
the catcher turned outfielder and second baseman
combined for the third. It was going to be a long
game.
The church is much like a ball team. Christians,
as the body of Christ, function like a team. In
order to achieve victory, all the players must be
practiced and ready come game time. When members
of the team fail to play their part then the
entire team suffers. Christians who shirk their
responsibilities toward the team find themselves
in danger of "losing their position". Yes, our
team is assured victory. Chris or Christ, the
greatest to ever play the game, is on our side.
Those who are part of the team at the end of the
game will be granted eternal life. In 1
Corinthians 12, Paul describes the church as the
body of Christ and gives some factors we must
consider.
We All Must Play Our Part
Just as the human body is made up of many parts
that together make the whole, so too the body of
Christ has many parts. "Now the body is not made
up of one part but of many . . . in fact God has
arranged the parts in the body, every one of them,
just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one
part, where would the body be? As it is, there are
many parts, but one body" (1 Cor. 12:14,18-20).
Each member of the body of Christ must perform his
God-given function. "Just as each of us has one
body with many members, and these members do not
all have the same function, so in Christ we who
are many form one body, and each member belongs to
all the others. We have different gifts, according
to the grace given us" (Rom. 12:4—6a). Every
member of the body must give their best effort in
the area of service God has gifted to us. Just
like our beloved White Sox, if the outfielder must
play catcher then the team is not putting forth
its best effort. Without each member doing their
part, the body of Christ suffers.
We All Must Be in the Game
For the body of Christ to function effectively
Christians must show up for practice. Personal and
organized study prepares us for the game. "Be
diligent (Study, KJV) to present yourself approved
to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned
and have become convinced of, because you know
those from whom you learned it, and how from
infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-
breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that
the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work" (2 Tim. 3:14—17).
As important as study is for the Christian, if we
fail to show up for the game then we are merely
performing an exercise in futility. The game is
not worship, as some suppose, but standing against
sin and standing up for the Lord daily. "Finally,
be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put
on the full armor of God so that you can take your
stand against the devil's schemes. For our
struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so
that when the day of evil comes, you may be able
to stand your ground, and after you have done
everything, to stand" (Eph. 6:10—13).
The most important key for victory is being on the
team. Everyone is welcome to join the team (John
3:16,17). Those "in Christ" are on the team or
part of the body. "Don't you know that all of us
who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized
into his death? We were therefore buried with him
through baptism into death in order that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead through the glory
of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we
have been united with him like this in his death,
we will certainly also be united with him in his
resurrection" (Romans 6:3—5).
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