It’s A Blame Shame

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Catey Stover in Freedom Fighters

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8 (KJV)

 

My thinking is kinda geared for mechanical problem-solving. Not that every problem I solve ever works out perfectly but most times I can find the source of trouble and make the appropriate repairs. A lot times the issue is easy to figure out and the repair is quite simple to do. Other times, I gotta take my time, take things apart and be observant to how things work together to make a machine operate. When I do find the source of trouble, I figure out my options, get parts, and put the whole thing back together. If all goes well whatever I have worked on, works. I’ll get asked what was the cause and I can blame the appropriate part BUT if I ever figure out that its operator error…well, let’s just say it’s a blame shame.

 

What do I mean by that? Well…in my position, it’s never really my place to say that someone doesn’t know how to operate machinery. Even if Captain Obvious shows up and says, “That person doesn’t know where the e-Stop is, remove them from that piece of equipment”. Usually, it is to a supervisor to finally come to terms that the person they have designated to operate what I’ve just fixed really doesn’t know where the e-Stop is, no matter how much they try to convince him otherwise. The funny in this is that e-Stops are usually SHINY RED BUTTONS!! Who doesn’t wanna press the shiny red button? Anyway…

 

When my problem-solving thinking gets challenged like this, I need to be careful where my thoughts go. It’s so easy to rest blame on what we think is the source of a problem. Look around at our current world and you’ll see that not much has strayed from the moment Adam said to God, “The woman You gave me”. Granted the context of this concerns itself with the eating from the tree Adam was commanded to stay clear of but if we pay attention to the response to the action, we’ll all agree it rests on the shoulders of disobedience. So, what do we need to do to be able to respond better to a bad action?

 

Maybe it’s in the understanding of wisdom? Proverbs 23 has much to glean from but this little tidbit is key, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is”. (Pro. 23:7) What does that have to do with placing blame? Ya see, Adam might have been thinking on his feet when he blamed Eve but I don’t think he was entertaining the thought that if they caught eating the forbidden fruit, he’ll just blame the wife. Au Contrarie, he quickly evaluated his situation and deflected responsibility. Once again, it’s a blame shame. This is where I petition you to consider what Paul has written in Philippians 4:8.

 

To borrow from Pastor John MacArthur, I think our spiritual stability is a result of how a person thinks. In the Philippians passage, Paul will go and say “Finally”, and then he’ll go on with a list of things, or Christian virtues, which Paul will suggest that we Christians make the subject of our reflection on everyday life. Now Paul isn’t saying we need to subscribe to the power of positive thinking but what he is saying is that we need to be focused on the truth of Scripture. “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”. (2 Cor 10:5)

 

So, in that moment where I am about to take out my Flying Fickle Finger of Fate and point it at what I consider the source of blame should lie I better figure out if doing this will be true, honorable, right, pure, lovely or of good report. ‘Cos if it ain’t what am I showing the world around me? That it’s a blame shame, that’s all. Sad, but true.

 

On a grander scale, the world around us seeks to cast blame on something, anything and give it someone while it waits. But for the Christian, holding our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ will define the line on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely or of good report and if we’re allowed to use that Flying Fickle Finger of Fate to point out blame. As much as I wish folks would see that shiny red button in from of them and use it, is as much as I should really suggest that it’s there to save them from trouble. Maybe that’ll point them to Jesus…Amen?

 

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) has been married for 25+ years (Kathy), has a married son (Kevin) and a daughter in college (Karen). He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008. You can email him at cphughes515@verizon.net


Think About This: “Christians who are not filling their minds with Scripture are like warriors going out to battle without a helmet. A raging battlefield is a frightening place to be when your head is exposed.” – Chip Ingram

The Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 34-36 , Ezra 1-2| You can download our 2020 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. Proverbs 12:1

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.

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