Tuesday Camp Devotion

Here's Tuesday's devo:

"Where the Blame Falls"
by Jared Altic

The details are a bit fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure that a few of my ancestors were criminals and lawbreakers. There have been a few people in history with my last name that did things too shameful to be written down here. It's embarrassing and I'd hate to be linked to the shameful things they've done.

We tell people who have been abused, "It's not your fault." But many people blame themselves for the suffering. They feel ashamed and say, "It is my fault; I deserve to be mistreated." Likewise, parents sometimes blame themselves when their children commit horrible crimes, asking, "Where did I go wrong?" When a relative does something horrible it seems to taint the whole family. Can you imagine having Adolf Hitler as your uncle? Or being the sibling of a serial killer?

There may in fact be times when one person might share the blame for the actions of another, but who is really responsible? Who should take the blame? Who should have to pay in God's eyes? According to Ezekiel 18:19, 20, the person who sins is the one who pays the consequences.

How does that make you feel to know that God doesn't blame you personally for the sins committed in your family, or town, or nation? How do you think God should treat the people who have done horrible things in your life?

Read Ezekiel 18:26-32

God wants everyone to repent; does this surprise you? If the worst sinner turns back to God (repents), then they'll live! God accomplishes this through Jesus Christ. What wonderful news! The sins of other people are not yours to pay; only your own sins will count against you. But even the very worst of these sins can be taken away too. All of our sins can be forgiven because Jesus paid the price for them.

Pray that God helps you to be as forgiving of others as He is. Read Matthew 6:14,15.

Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? No one can become a Christian without repenting of the wrong things he or she has done. God offers us forgiveness if we are willing to take it, but to be free of the blame we need to repent.

Note: The reference to shameful pasts include at least two Altic women who ran brothels. There's also some references to moonshiners in Virginia. These are distant relatives with direct connection, but who knows what else is out there.