Our reading today is Genesis 3:12-13
And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
“The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”
The three questions had been asked. Adam and Eve didn’t have a good answer, so they did what most people do, they made excuses. All the excuses were the same, “Not my fault!”
The man’s answer was, “It was her fault.” Then he added, “You gave her to me.” He was hinting that it was a little bit of God’s fault. The woman didn’t accept the blame either. She said, “The serpent deceived me.” This was the original statement of “The devil made me do it.”
What was the serpent’s excuse? He offered none because he knew he had not a leg to stand on!
It would have been better if they had just accepted responsibility for what they had done. Personal responsibility is the foundation of character. It means owning our choices instead of blaming others or circumstances. Adam and Eve didn’t know this yet, but growth begins when we accept responsibility for our actions.
Our excuses may sound more sophisticated than theirs, but they are no different. The heart that dodges blame still hides from God.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.