But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
And he said, “I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
The man said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” -- Genesis 3:9-12
God Calls Adam First
When Adam and Eve sinned, it was Adam whom God called first. Not because Eve was less responsible, but because Adam, as the head of his household, had a duty to protect and lead.
From the beginning, God had entrusted him with the command not to eat from the tree (Genesis 2:16–17). Eve was later deceived, but Adam was present and failed to intervene (Genesis 3:6). He did not protect, he did not correct, and now, instead of standing in accountability, he hid.
God’s question, “Where are you?” was not for His own knowledge but it was an invitation for Adam to step forward, to confess, and to begin reconciliation.
How often does God call us in moments of failure? Instead of facing Him, do we, like Adam, hide in fear?
The Blame Shift
When confronted, Adam did not own his mistake. He first pointed to Eve:
“The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” – Genesis 3:12
But notice something deeper!
Adam was not just blaming Eve. He was subtly blaming God: “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me.”
What a contrast!
In Genesis 2:23, Adam had rejoiced at Eve’s creation, calling her “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” She was a gift, a blessing. But now, in his failure, that same gift became an excuse.
How often do we do the same?
The very blessings God gives us - our family, work, relationships - can become our excuses when things go wrong. Instead of seeing them as gifts, we treat them as burdens, shifting responsibility away from ourselves.
The Consequence of Excuses
Adam had an opportunity for humility, but he chose self-preservation instead. Yet Scripture warns:
“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13
God does not seek our condemnation; He seeks our conversion. But growth only happens when we stop making excuses.
When we fail at work, do we blame our coworkers? When relationships struggle, do we blame the other person? When we neglect our spiritual life, do we blame busyness?
True Growth Begins with Ownership
Jesus calls us to a life of responsibility, not excuses. He tells us:
“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:3
Rather than blaming others, we are called to examine our own hearts first.
When we take responsibility, we open ourselves to God’s grace. Confession is not about shame; it is about healing. Just as Adam was invited to answer truthfully, so too are we called to approach Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, laying our failures before Him and receiving His mercy.
Living in Grace, Not Excuses
Instead of hiding, instead of shifting blame, let us seek the Lord with honest hearts. Christ offers transformation, not condemnation. He says:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
May we respond to His call - not with fear, not with excuses, but with trust. Owning our actions is the first step toward grace, healing, and true transformation in Christ.
Lord, give us the humility to own our failures, the courage to confess, and the grace to grow in You. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment