Whose Fault Is It?

Over the weekend there were three headlines in the news that caught my eye:

1. Tiger Woods: Sorry For Behavior
2. Texas Man, Angry With IRS, Crashes Plane Into Office
3. Lawyer: Prof Accused in Ala Slayings Doesn't Remember Shootings

It goes without saying that all three of these situations are sad and tragic. The lives of many people have been negatively impacted by the actions of these three individuals; some have died, others have had their futures changed drastically in a very short period of time.

But what strikes me most with these unfortunate occurrences is how typical they are of a prevailing theme in our society, namely, choices and actions made without thought of consequences. It seems, in my humble opinion, that our society is afflicted with a cancerous growth which has infected the attitudes and behavior of people from the highest profile politicians to sports heroes to church leaders to teachers, parents and not surprisingly even down to children themselves. This growth has choked off the lifeblood to a vital part of our human person, our conscience. Without this "small voice within", we end up witnessing (and perhaps engaging in) behavior that is self destructive and socially harmful.

We revert to all kinds of excuses and rationale, blaming upbringing, addictions, our educational system (or lack thereof), friends and enemies. Yet, in the end, our choices are our own responsibility, no one else.

The power of our choices and the consequences that they carry with them is infinite in its ramifications. As God tells us through Moses in Deuteronomy: "I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him" (Deut 30:19-20). All around us, each day in the news headlines, we see examples of people who are making choices that are not life-giving, either to themselves or to those around them. Yet, somehow, in our modern society, we expect to be immune from the consequences of those choices. We believe that we are more enlightened than previous ages and hence free of the limitations and boundaries of human existence. How blind we are.

Lord, protect us from ourselves and our own blindness. Help us to see reality from Your perspective so that we can judge our own choices, actions and behaviors in the light of Your love. Awaken us to the full picture of the responsibility that goes with the powerful gift of making choices.