Millpond Ink Musing – Stop Playing the Victim

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” Gen. 3:12

I don’t know about you, but it seems as if we all are victims today. In one sense, yes, we can blame Adam because by his one sin all men sinned and will die. Even he was a victim. He blamed Eve. However, even if we did not own Adam’s sin by nature, we stumbled and fell of our own accord. Nonetheless, if we see ourselves as victims; whether or not we believe we were harmed by Adam, but we still blame others for all the bad that happens (Government, employers, friends, family), then we come to believe that we are self-justified in our reaction. If self-justified, we are righteous in our own eyes; even if we commit the most heinous of acts in retaliation. If righteous, then saved; some going so far as to believe that a loving God would joyously share our opinion of us, and gladly redeem us despite our sinfulness.  On the contrary…

Our claim of victimization leads us afoul of the truth. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) One must ask, ‘Have I done anything different to others that others have not done to me?’ Maybe not in the same way, but there are a multitude of wounding implements that are flung; their deadliness comes from the force behind them: our hate, pride and anger. Some use guns that many want to ban; others, pipe bombs…but how could we ever legislate against the wickedness and destructiveness of the tongue? Has not idle chatter led to murder; if not physically, we have done so from the depths of our hearts… seething, we mutter vows of retribution. 

Yes, there are many victims today, and many will take their victimization as a defense to their graves. However, please hear this: Where there is no personal accountability before God, there is no repentance. Where there is no repentance, there is no forgiveness. Where there is no forgiveness, there is no realization of God’s mercy; only the promise of justice, and with that, you have pushed God’s love aside, and have only left a reasonable expectation of His vengeance. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19) 

Please, stop playing the victim. Turn. Confess to one another; repent. Run and throw yourself on the throne of grace and find peace; a peace that is not simply a cessation of hostilities, but a true calm; without future risk of loss or return to violence. How can this be? It is a promise of God through His Son, Jesus:  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) But first, you must stop playing the victim.