I don’t know if it’s the placement of the moon or the time of the year, maybe hurricane Ian blowing through but it seems the last few weeks the proverbial ‘finger pointing’; blaming, shaming, whining, and complaining game has reached a fever pitch…
Ah…just remembered,
Election season…got it…
I’ve often asked myself ‘why’ it’s so easy to ‘throw shade’…as the young kids say, or to blame others for…well just about anything?
Here is what I have found to be true when trying to understand the blaming game:
It spreads faster than an oil spill and seeps resentment deep into our souls.
Why?
Blame is the unloading wrongs, perceived or real, done to me by others…
There are many layers to this so I don’t intend to make this a black and white event but when you think about how quickly, how easily we fall into the recycling recrimination trap, instead of being somewhat embarrassed by the act of pointing out others wrongs…we turn the spotlight on it and roll it out for all to see. My mom and dad both made it clear while growing up that pointing a finger at someone really means you are pointing three back at yourself. I kinda laugh and it’s also sad but common to see one sign after the other planted in front yards saying ‘Don’t blame me I didn’t vote for XYZ candidate’…I always think to myself…until you pointed it out, it was never in my mind to blame you…
‘but you did tell me something about yourself…’
I run into this at work all of the time as I am sure you do. Blame is a way to unload the frustrations of a situation but it doesn’t solve the original problem. Blame is a way to ‘clear’ my side of the argument but doesn’t accomplish the most important part of the original problem.
How do we move forward TOGETHER?
This is my biggest hassle with election season and the ‘spirit’ that raises its gargoyle-like head…it’s all about proving the ‘other person is wrong for whatever reason. Spirit…yea, I think there is a ‘spirit’ attached to this. It seems to come from deep within.
Blaming and shaming are really masked insecurity…
Recently Elizabeth and I toured a national historical home of one of our founding fathers. It’s funny how in today’s world this man is vilified, trashed, and run down for his character flaws, judgments, and life even though he was a key figure in creating the America we live in. I wonder ‘what are we so afraid of and why can’t we admit to ourselves, this one truth…
We are ALL flawed, we all have character issues, and our past, our history is NO different.
It’s messy…
We are messy…
It’s like we feel obligated to point out the errors first to make sure everyone understands, we understand, how ‘wrong, how ‘bad’ someone or something is.
Could it be we just want to be a member of the ‘club’ of the righteous? Could it be we are afraid that others will think badly of us because we don’t follow the popular thought or thinking of the day?
Let me put it in more ancient terms…
Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Cleary this leaves room that peaceable living might not be possible but it’s sure worth everything we have to go for it.
The last thing…
I’ve often learned that is life,
discretion truly is the better part of valor…
Or
If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all.
Seek Peace this week.
Jeff
