Blame Your Parents
28 October 2010 Hits:2677
“It’s not MY fault – it’s someone else’s.”
“I can’t help it – this is the way I’ve always been!”
Ever heard these statements? Ever said them yourself?
We live in a world where personal responsibility is often sadly lacking. It starts from childhood. I went upstairs in our home a few nights ago and found several lights had been left on. I asked our two eldest daughters who was responsible. “Not me,” said one. “Not me,” said the other. It appears the lights had left themselves on! No one was responsible.
This attitude was promoted recently by the study Hardwired for Chocolate and Hybrid Cars? The study examined “a wide range of consumer judgment and decision-making phenomenon and discover(ed) that many – though not all of them – are in fact heritable or influenced by genetic factors.”
The authors tested the preferences of 180 twins and discovered that people seem to inherit the following tendencies:
• To choose a compromise option and avoid extremes
• To select sure gains over gambles
• A preference for an easy but non-rewarding task over an enjoyable challenging one
• To look for the best option available.
They also found that likings for specific products seemed to be genetically related: chocolate, mustard, hybrid cars, science fiction movies and jazz.
I’m sure this is good news to chocolate lovers – including my wife! When I open a block of chocolate it lasts me for weeks. I eat one or two squares and that’s enough. A chocolate lover – like Christie – cannot relate to such self-control! But it doesn’t matter. You can’t help it. You’ve inherited this weakness. Just blame your parents!
In Bible times the nation of Israel used a proverb that blamed their parents thus relieving themselves of personal responsibility. The proverb is found in Ezekiel 18:2 – “The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”
God’s response to Israel was that this proverb was incorrect and was to not be used anymore:
“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel … the soul who sins is the one who will die.” In other words, YOU are personally accountable!
This does not deny that we have all inherited various traits and behaviours from our parents – and passed some (good and bad) onto our children. But no matter what we have inherited we are still responsible for the way we behave each day.
So, if you’ve been guilty of blaming your parents – stop it! Take personal responsibility for your life and the way you live it.
Rob Buckingham
Senior Minister
