The last few days have felt a bit chaotic. Not just because the world is facing uncertainty around a global pandemic – more because I’m watching people I care about struggle at levels rarely seen in my lifetime.
Relationships are strained, bills aren’t getting paid, people are hungry, peace is being hijacked, the political climate is worse than ever, and then there’s the spiritual warfare being waged at seemingly unprecedented levels. Another overused term, unprecedented.
As Yogi Berra once quipped, “You can observe a lot by just watching.”
Well, I’m observing a lot that makes my heart very sad. Divisiveness seems to be the theme of our days. The “cancel culture” alive and well-targeting anyone that has a view different than theirs. Whoever they are. Everyone has an opinion about everything, and most are more than willing participants in blaming someone else for their problems. That, my friends, is the definition of brokenness.
For some reason, many feel it’s more appropriate to assign responsibility for a fault or wrong to others as the antidote to justify their current predicament or feelings about someone else’s predicament – if that makes sense.
A more appropriate way of defining blame is how Brene’ Brown characterizes it. “blame is discharging pain”. The pain of sins affects on the world and all its inhabitants. As human beings, we take on this self-righteous obsession rather than face the inner-“demons” that are haunting our sheer existence. We have an enemy that lives to reinforce that false narrative in every one of our lives.
So, what’s the true antidote?
Funny you should ask. I believe the answer is simpler than we’re willing to admit. It’s a laying down of that false-self and adoption of the self that is rooted in our identity in Christ. Our true self. The one that God designed us to live out of. The one that He created us to be.
Our biggest challenge is in laying down our perceived right to claim this life as our own.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” I Corinthians 6:19-20a NIV)
When we decide to lay down our rights we pick up newly found freedom to live out of love. To live in a way that honors God, honors others, and honors ourselves. No blame, no shame, just life as it was meant to be.
Are you willing to lay down any claim to this life for an eternal claim from God’s perspective?
And that’s the memo.
Steve
