Have you ever heard the saying "pass the buck?" I sure have and I've been guilty more than once by doing it. Pass the buck, for those of you who don't know, is an old saying that means you pass the blame of your problems onto someone else instead of taking responsibility. In the last month at places like school and work I picked up on often people pass the buck. People LOVE to blame others for their own mistakes. This week I began to notice myself blaming others for problems. Why do we do this? Why don't we just own up to our own mistakes and messes WE create. It's because we want the easy way out. I don't want to go through the "struggle" of fixing my mess; I want others to do it for me.
For example my dad asked me this morning if I made soup because there was some overspill on the oven and I said no I didn't make soup. But I did make oatmeal..that did spill over and even worse I didn't clean it up...and even more worse I didn't tell him. I didn't want to own up to it. Now this is just a small example. Little things like these can become habits that turn into even bigger problems.
Galatians 6:5 says "For each one should carry his own load." (NIT) I love the NLT version, "For we are each responsible for our own conduct." This verse straight up tells me that I better not being blaming others for my mistakes; no matter how big or how silly. If I'm going to live a life like Jesus and call myself a believer then I better take up my cross and take full responsibility for my sins and my actions.
If we constantly blame others what does that show about our character? Wouldn't you want someone to tell you it was their fault instead of blaming others? I know I would. Whatever your reasons for passing the buck, laziness, fear, stupidity, anger, choose to be courageous instead of cowardly. I encourage you this week to work on this and build a character of responsibility and humility. Do you want to be the you from yesterday or someone brand new full of life?
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Luke 9:23-24
