Every husband (and wife) knows that when their spouse has a problem it is their fault. Car will not start; I should have anticipated this event and organized the service call before the problem occurred. Kids are grumpy in the morning; I could (should) have recognized the possibility and encouraged them to get to bed earlier the night before. Is it raining outside? Anticipating this in advance and sharing this would have allowed time to reschedule the day’s activities! If one even thinks of protesting as the innocent party, one must always remember that the reaction may be worse than the original perception because one is guilty by position, no action.
This approach easily creeps into work. Someone is always to blame and held responsible, even if they had no knowledge before or after and could not have done anything about it even if they had. We need scapegoats. Messengers and those close to us are often the easiest targets.
I find God falling into this pattern. Something happens and it is automatically God’s fault or will for my life. Good things happen and I think God gave me a special gift unexpectedly. Bad things happen and I presume that God is trying to teach me something! As I reflect on issues and opportunities, my focus is on my story.
“But the story we’re given is a God-story, not an Abraham (me)-story.” (Romans 4.2) The focus of life is not about you or me; it is about God. When I take off my self-centered glasses, I look around and see every front questioning the character of God. Society says God cannot be trusted, is too demanding, and wants to exact a price from us. Ultimately each of us must realize our potential; I must be satisfied. However, life and everything that happens, is ultimately a story about God.
God loves us unconditionally, so much so he gave up his Son so that he could bring every person back into relationship with him. This defines our worth, our lives, and our potential. God is the ultimate focus!
