Don’t Blame Others – September 28, 2026
Read: Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. The parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! Ezekiel 18:1-4,30,32
Don’t Blame Others
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You can’t blame others for the wrong things you do. Well, that isn’t entirely true. You can—and you do. We all do. It sounds like, “They started it.” Or, “She was frustrating me.” Or maybe, “What they did was far worse.” When we are caught sinning, we naturally make excuses. We quickly point a finger at a sibling, friend, parent, or even a teacher.
When we blame others, we are doing what sinners have done since sin first entered our world. When God asked Adam if he had eaten fruit from the one tree in the garden he was not supposed to eat from, Adam’s response was to blame someone else. “The woman you put here with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (Genesis 3:12).
The Israelites in Ezekiel’s day had a similar attitude. “The parents eat the sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge” was their way of saying, “Our problems are our parents’ fault.” Point the finger. Shift the blame. Excuse your sin. That attitude probably feels familiar.
Through the prophet Ezekiel, our just and loving God tells us to stop blaming and start confessing. In Sunday worship, we admit, “I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. We have done those things that we should not have done, and we have not done those things which we should have done.” No blaming others. We honestly confess it to our holy God.
Why does God call us to repent? Because he doesn’t want sin to destroy us. He says, “I take no pleasure in the death of anyone . . . repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32). God wants us to confess our sins and receive the forgiveness Jesus won for us by his perfect life and innocent death. Jesus accepted the blame and punishment for every sin—even the sins for which we blame others.
So when you do something wrong, you don’t need to hide behind an excuse. Confess it. Jesus has taken your blame away. You are forgiven! Now live freely and confidently as God’s forgiven child.
Prayer:
Dear God, forgive us for blaming others instead of confessing our sins. Help us to live in faithful confidence of our forgiveness. Thank you for your faithful love that never fails. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
- What should you do when you have done something wrong?
- God forgives us not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has already done. How does that make you feel?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
- Why are we sometimes tempted to blame someone else for what we did?
- How does knowing Jesus forgives you help you tell the truth?
Questions for Middle School and Above
- What excuses are you most tempted to make when you are confronted about a sin?
- How does God’s forgiveness give you the freedom and confidence to accept responsibility?
