It's Your Fault!

When I only had two or three children, I could watch them better, but after four children I pretty much gave up trying to keep an eye on everyone.  So when I heard blood curling screams from the tinniest girl and shouts from the second youngest boy declaring, "You're fine!" I knew something was up and most likely someone was hurt.

Sure enough, Annie at almost 5 years old, had a huge bruise across the side of her face and 6 year old Benjamin was squarely to blame.  To be fair, he didn't mean to hit her.  He was trying to smash a ball with a ping pong paddle in the living room (not allowed) and she was 'in his way' according to his account.  Instead of feeling bad for his actions, he placed the blame on her and minimized his responsibility.  Then Ben accused her of overreacting, even though she truly was hurt.  The ping pong paddle was about the same size as Annie's head and Ben was an enthusiastic ball smacker, but instead of smashing the ball, Annie's head caught the burnt of the force.


At first glance I wondered if we were going to need to visit the doctor.  It looked like multiple blood vessels were broken.  We promptly applied ice and Ben was placed in his room on his bed to contemplate his actions.  Annie cried and received comfort.  Ben pondered the situation and decided Mom was wrong for placing him in his room.  I had higher hopes for time-out and his subsequent time of reflection, but remorse was no where to be found.

As an adult and a parent, this situation completely dumbfounded me.  First the child disobeyed me by not putting the paddle away downstairs an hour ago as he was told.  Then he decided to play with said paddle in the living room against the rules.  Furthermore he accidentally hit his sister (it truly was not intentional), but instead of feeling bad, he blamed her for being in the way.  Upon seeing she was really hurt, he insisted she was overreacting and refused to come to her aide.  He had opportunity after opportunity to do right, but instead chose wrong at every single turn.  When told to reflect upon the situation, he came to the conclusion that his time-out to reflect was UNJUST!

I had to scoop my jaw off the floor and walk myself out of his bedroom.  Obviously, there is a lesson to be learned, not only for Benjamin, but perhaps for myself and the rest of humanity.

I wonder how often I blame God for sin in my life?  How often do I misjudge situations and refuse to see things from the other person's point of view?  How often do I refuse to reflect upon my day or repent of my sin?  How often do I hurt someone else and blame them for "overreacting" and then refuse to apologize?

Sin is evil, painful, wicked, horrendous, and sickening.  It separates us from God.  There is absolutely no good that can come from it.  Sin is so easy to see in my son's life and yet he is unable or unwilling to see it himself.  I wonder how much of my own sin I am unaware of or unwilling to admit?

"Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts,

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

~ Psalm 139:23