April 19

Apr 19 - Today from Proverbs 19 we look at verse 3
"A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord."

Immature people seldom take responsibility for their actions. Instead, they look to anything and everything they can to blame for the bad situation in which they find themselves. As this proverb relates, they even tend to blame God because ultimately "He is responsible for everything (sic)."
Now, I may sound just a little idealistic here, but I believe that people of integrity seldom, if ever, end up with a ruined life. They may come to some very rough spots in life. They may take some awful hard tumbles in life. They may even get dragged through some mud in life. But they just don't stay down until there is nothing left but ruin. Even if they did loose everything else, if their integrity is still intact when they go down for that last time - they didn't go down to ruin. But that is seldom the case. People of integrity seem to be survivors. The reason they survive is because when they make a mistake that puts them face down in life's mud pile, they are humble enough to admit their mistake, repent of courting whatever folly drew them into the mistake, get back up where they fell from, and get back into living life the way God meant it to be. The life of integrity is not a perfect life, it is an honest life.
People who do not take ultimate responsibility for their actions simply are not honest people. Mostly they are not honest with themselves. It is a peculiar thing, but it seems that everyone except for the person or the people who caused the hurtful situation, knows that the situation exists because they used poor judgment, or because they were acting for selfish reasons (which is poor judgment). These irresponsible people then end up doing one of three things: They either go into denial, or they go into a rage against others who are ‘really’ to be blamed, or they do both. Usually it's the latter. They seem to operate on the principle that if you confidently demonstrate your anger toward another for the situation, perhaps others will fall for the same delusion in which they live. Children almost naturally attempt to shift or slip blame to avoid getting in trouble. Taking responsibility is a learned response. It's pathetic when adults try the same tactics when guilty of making a mess by using poor judgment.
God gives us clear guidelines as to how to live a wise and moral life. He is very honest with us about the rewards and consequences regarding the moral choices we make. He offers grace, and reveals how to appropriate grace when needed in difficult circumstances. Even after all of this, man still tries to shave some points in life in order to beat the odds. The odds are unbeatable. "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to the flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction.; the one who sows to the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7,8.
"Lord, open our eyes that we might not be self-deceived. And when we do find ourselves self-deceived, give us the humility to do the right thing in order to restore integrity. Amen."