Someone Stole my Yellow Socks

Someone Stole my Yellow Socks

By Judy Vandiver

© Copyright 2009 by Judy Vandiver

“Someone stole my yellow socks,” my eight-year-old daughter screamed.

“Are these the same socks you have been wearing all week? The ones that could almost stand up on their own?”

“Yes, and now they are gone. Someone took them.”

“Maybe I should call the police department and report a break-in,” I told her. “Is anything else missing?”

“No, just my favorite yellow socks. Someone stole them.”

And so goes the blame game. Though this happened many years ago, it never occurred to my daughter that she might have misplaced her socks. If they were not to be found, it was someone else’s fault.

We all have a tendency to play “the blame game.” Defendants of social and hideous crimes sometimes use the defense of their upbringing. They had a bad home life, they were sexually assaulted as a child, their parents were alcoholics, or they were abandoned as a youth. It is almost always someone else’s fault.

Perhaps you have played the blame game at work. “I didn’t finish the report because I had too many interruptions. I was late this morning because a slowpoke was ahead of me on the freeway. I didn’t catch the proof-reading errors because the lighting in the office is incorrect.”

And yes, I admit I’ve played the game too. Honestly, that accident in the new van was not my fault. I rear-ended that guy because he stopped too fast in front of me, and besides, he should not have had such a long trailer hitch on his truck. In addition, the weather was bad that day.

And on and on it goes.

Adam and Eve played the blame game in the Garden of Eden. Eve blamed the serpent and Adam was quick to say, “It was that woman you gave me!” It’s so easy for us to tell God that we didn’t mean to sin, but. . . the other person started our argument. . . I didn’t know the consequences would be so hard. . . the peer pressure is too great. . .

Someday, however, each of us will stand before God and be accountable for our own sins. 1 Peter 4:5 states: “But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (NIV) and Romans 14:12 tells us, “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (NIV)

As an eight year old, we may get by with blaming someone for our missing socks; but when we stand before God, what excuse could any of us possibly give for ignoring the Son of the Most High?

We are coming into a season designed to give honor to God coming to Earth to redeem us from our sins. I pray that each of us take the time to give Him the glory that is His due. Let us not be guilty of blaming our world, our customs, our society for allowing the hustle and bustle detract from the real meaning of Christmas.

I shall be praying that you, my readers, will feel the presence of God this Christmas season deeper than you have before, and I ask that you also pray for me. We all get busy. But what a shame if we get too busy for God.

© Copyright 2009 by Judy Vandiver