We are good at playing games. Sometimes we might not even be aware of it, but we are. Consider two children who are passing a ball around in the house. On one of the throws, there is a crash. When they look, there is a new lamp that is lying in pieces on the floor. They look at each other and know there will be a problem. One of the children says, "It’s your fault because you did not catch it." The other one comes back with, "No, it’s your fault. You threw it too high." Thus, the blame game begins.

Why do we do these things? Why play this game? There may be several reasons like: To avoid trouble, to make another the guilty party or, to remove the guilt for doing something we knew better than to do. But, this is a game that has been played for centuries.

God made Adam and then Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden. They had been told to eat what they wanted with the exception of the tree in the midst of the Garden. In Genesis 3, Satan deceives Eve into eating the fruit from this tree. They had been told, "You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die" (Gen 3:3 NASB). The serpent, (Satan), convinced Eve she would not die. She took the fruit, ate it and, gave it to her husband who was with her. He ate it. At this point, their eyes are opened and, they know they are naked and, sew fig leaves to cover their nakedness.

As God comes in the cool of the evening, they hide. They confess their nakedness and God asks how they knew they are naked. He then asks if they have eaten of the tree they were commanded not to eat. Adam said, "The woman You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate" (3:12). The woman said, "The serpent deceived me and I ate" (3:13). Adam blamed the woman, (and perhaps God?), and Eve blamed Satan. Thus, the start of the blame game.

Do you play this game today? Do you find someone to blame when you make a mistake? When you sin, do you find someone to blame it on? There comes a time when we must come clean before God. We have His promise that He is willing to forgive sins if we will ask (1 Jn. 1:9).

Let’s fess up and blame less. Perhaps we will grow then to be like Jesus which, is what our Heavenly Father desires.