The Blame Game

THE BLAME GAME

(John 9:1-3)

Some years ago, Nigeria qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Every football loving Nigerian was happy! We had a strong team that could get as far as the Quarter Finals, we thought…

But the Nigerian Team crashed out earlier than expected. Nigerians were upset. And angry.

There was an inquest into Nigeria’s early exit and a question was asked: who should be blamed for the exit of the team? The coach? The players? The Football Association?

People submitted their opinions, putting the blame on one of these options.

“Blame the players! They were too lackadaisical!”

“Blame the coach! He was bereft of ideas!”

“Blame the FA! They were not professional in their planning!”

The blame was spread around, people were looking for a neck to hang the loss and early exit on.

Then one man dropped his opinion. He said, “I will not blame anybody, ladies and gentlemen. We crashed out earlier than expected because we played against a team that is much better than ours! There was absolutely NOTHING Nigeria could have done that would have made our team win that match. The other team was better in all ramifications: their goal keeper was better than ours, their defenders were better than ours, their midfielders were better than ours, their strikers were better than ours. Let’s stop this blame game, please!”

Woah!

But it is very common for people to blame any bad event on people: it’s our default setting.

Your parents die? Blame a witch in your village!

Your house is razed down? Blame your in-laws!

You got sacked? Blame your neighbors!

Somebody MUST be responsible for every negative thing that happens to you.

But there is a better way to process these problems. Rather than blame people for them, we can see them from a different perspective.

In John chapter 9, Jesus and His disciples saw a man who was blind from birth. The disciples immediately switched to the BLAME GAME Mode: “Master, who sinned that this man was born blind- him or his parents?” (verse 2).

The problem with this BLAME GAME is, it robs you of the ability to think rationally. These disciples actually thought a man could be born blind because he sinned! How in the world could that be possible: could he have sinned BEFORE he was born for God to punish him with blindness?

But see Jesus’ response: “Nobody sinned for him to be born blind, but this happened so the works of God could be made manifest in his life” (verse 3). what Jesus simply said was, the reason the man was born blind was because God wanted to have an opportunity to display His power in his life!

So Jesus saw negative things differently: rather than see them as opportunities to indulge in the BLAME GAME, He saw them as opportunities to display the power of God. The disciples needed that paradigm shift. So do a lot of Christians today.

I often hear Christians say, “God, who did I offend, what is my sin that this happened to me?” They have already lost the plot! They have already entered the Blame Game Mode. I better way of seeing (and responding to) it is: “Lord, this incident has happened is an opportunity for you to manifest your works in my life!”

God actually looks out for such opportunities to showcase his works: I mean, why heal a sick Lazarus when you can wait for him to die and raise him up 4 days later? (John 11:1-44)

Why deliver Paul from a shipwreck only, when you can cause a snake to bite him, make people develop conspiracy theories about it and use that as an opportunity to minister healing to them? (Acts 28:1-9)

Why follow the disciples to the other side in a boat, when you can send them across, create a storm, then walk across on the water a few hours later and calm the storm? (Mark 6:45-51)

To God, PROBLEMS ARE RAW MATERIALS FOR MIRACLES!

That is the mindset he wants us to have, rather than a BLAME GAME mindset.

A while ago, a friend lost his 12 year old daughter. He came to my office after the burial and told me, ‘After my daughter’s death and burial, my wife and I started thinking: who could be behind her death? Who killed her?” He entered the Blame Game Mode. I tried teaching him that was a wrong way to see it: change your perspective!

A woman’s husband’s business was having issues. She went to see a “prophet” with her best friend. After hearing her out, “prophet closed his eyes like he was in a trance. Then he said, “Do you know anyone called Juliet?”

“No sir.”

“Do you know anyone called Lucy?”

“Monica?”

“No, sir….”

“Prophet” continued the guessing game until she said “Yes” to a name. Then he said, “she’s the one behind your husband’s predicament!”

When they stepped out, her friend asked: “If by chance that charlatan had called my name, would you have believed I had something to do with your husband’s problems?”

Her response? “Yes! He’s not a charlatan, he’s a prophet: he sees things!”

Their friendship of over 30 years ended that day.

The problem with the BLAME GAME is, it makes you turn your closest friends, allies and family members to your enemies, makes you easily manipulated by these “prophets” who know you have the BLAME GAME mindset.

But when you change that mindset to the one Jesus had, seeing problems as raw materials for miracles, you will see more positivity around you and you will live a happier and more productive life.

Shalom,

Haruna Daniels