Who Do We Blame?

This devotion is just as good as yesterdays.

Good morning. Welcome to Tuesday, June 17th.

“At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” Luke 13:1-5

It is so very human of us, when something horrible happens, to assess blame. Maybe that is the reason why the first question we always ask is “why?” We want to know who to blame.

Once we pick out someone or something to blame, then we can start pointing our finger. We love to do that! (Usually forgetting Stuart Smalley’s wisdom that when we point one finger at someone, four are pointing back to us.)

The natural disasters that have been happening in the world this spring make it very difficult for us to play the blame game. We can get angry because a despotic government confiscates aid supplies but we can’t blame them for a cyclone. We can react with confusion because of the densely crowded urbans areas of China but those conditions don’t cause earthquakes or floods. And we can argue all day about the balance between corn for fuel and corn for food but none of that creates tornadoes or floods.

Which leaves us no one to blame but God.

When we ultimately arrive there I always remember that incredible scene from Elie Wiesel’s book, “Night”, where the rabbis in the concentration camp put God on trial. After it becomes clear that the verdict will be “guilty”, the rabbis can do nothing but turn and walk away from one another toward their barracks. Pronouncing God “guilty” only makes the pain and the isolation worse. It doesn’t help.

If anything, these disasters teach us about our common humanity. A life in Iowa is worth as much as a life in China or the Sudan. A home in West Des Moines is worth as much as an apartment in Sansui – not because of the cost of the building materials but because of the value provided to the family that lives there. The natural world draws no human distinctions or boundaries or borders. We are ALL in this together.

So what do we do? What do those of us sitting on the sidelines do?

We help as we are able. Maybe we write a check to Lutheran World Relief (www.lwr.org) or the Red Cross (www.redcross.org) because we want to help. Maybe we add those affected and those trying to help to our daily prayers. Maybe we remain informed, as hard as it is to hear and read, because we understand that we are ALL in this together.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, we pray for those who are hurting today, those terrified children and grief-stricken adults, those international leaders struggling toward the best response to the tragedies which have struck across the world. Bless those seeking to make a positive impact and strengthen those working hard now to bring relief. In Jesus’ name. Amen.


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Pastor Kerry Nelson