Tips for Better Living

Don't look for someone to blame.

When things don't go according to our own plans, we often look for someone or something to blame. Unfortunately, finding fault in others is counter to our goal of imitating Christ's humility.

If you want to remain blameless yourself, you should avoid the practice of blaming others.

To blame others detracts from our faith in God. If we accept the premise that there is not one of us on earth today who can be considered flawless, then we can assume that we are all susceptible to mistakes. Through Jesus, our Savior, although we are flawed we are found to be without fault. Since God created us, we are indeed perfect with all of our imperfections. So are the other members of His kingdom.

If we allow that we are members of God's kingdom and we allow that God is the master planner, we should accept that God has a plan and a purpose for each of us as individuals. No individual has greater authority than God. To blame an individual for something, we are making an accusation that presumes they have more control over our lives than God does. And I don't believe that is so.

Tolerance of our differences, respect for each other, love and support, lifting one another up - that's how we share our lives together as blameless members of the same extended family.

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11)

Amen