I couldn't believe what I was witnessing yesterday. I was stopped at a traffic light when I noticed a woman in a gray Toyota Forerunner rolling backward. I kept waiting for her to put on her brakes but it never happened. She rolled right into the front end of a little pick up truck. Then she got out of her car and began hollering at the driver of the pick up truck. She was on her phone and shouting that she was hit by this pick up truck.Fortunately a State Dump Truck was right in front of me and the two highway workers in it saw the whole thing. They got out and began directing traffic until the police arrived. The guy said to me, "Can you believe that woman is claiming the girl hit her from behind?" I was stunned.
Yet, I guess I should not have been so surprised. Isn't that exactly what so many of us do today? Something happens and we try to pin the blame on everybody and everything we can. We are a society that doe not like to take responsibility for our actions. When I spill hot coffee on myself, I blame the fast food company. When I get lung cancer, I blame the cigarette company. When I drink too much and have an accident, I blame the bar tender. When I get caught using steroids, I blame my cousin. When I can't deal with my spouse, I blame my parents. When I am talking on my phone and I roll into someone, it has to be someone else's fault.
The truth is that the apostle Paul had the best approach to this whole thing. He confesses that we are all guilty. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Then he begs mercy and asks for God's grace. The truth is that if everyone took responsibility for their actions and 'fessed up, the world would be a better place. We could learn from our mistakes and turn things around. But if it is always someone else's fault, then we never have to learn.
So let's fess up. Then we can let God do his work and accept the love and forgiveness that he offers and begin again. That's a much better way to live.
Cal
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1 comment:
Confession is good for the soul, true. However, when encountering the healing properties of grace, repentance is the best recipe.
/the ability to ask for forgiveness is the element most necessary to begin to accept grace.
To apologize with true contrite hearts is the master key to God's attention.
We don't apologize for anything as a society. It's people are no different.
We recognize inherently, when we are wrong. It is not invisible nor inperceptable to anyone. However, the ability to say, "I am truly srry", has been removed from our moral compass.
Parents do not teach it to their children, or fail to enforce it. Teachers don't expect it, or include it. And of course, going to court is much easier that admitting and error has been made. Let there be arbitration.
The Holy Spirit is our determining factor that agrees or disagrees with every action, as well as our very thoughts. If you are grieved by what you have done, so is He.
Of course, it is so comforting to believe we have avoided the consequences.
The truth is always so obvious.
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