Scapegoat
Have you ever been a scapegoat? Something bad happened. It was not your fault, but you received the blame. Or have you ever scapegoated someone else?
A scapegoat receives all the blame or punishment for the wrongs of others.
The person may be innocent or only partially at fault. However, they receive total blame.
- Family members accuse a relative for all their problems.
- Company leaders condemn an employee for the company’s losses.
- Team members blame one player for their team’s defeat.
We don’t like to be accused when innocent.
Neither do other people.
We find the background for a scapegoat in the Bible.
God gave Moses directions for the Day of Atonement. Aaron, Israel’s first high priest, took two male goats for a sin offering. One goat was sacrificed. The other (the scapegoat) had the sins of the people symbolically placed on it. It was then driven into the wilderness.
Rather than condemn others unfairly, let’s:
- Take responsibility for our own actions.
- Encourage one another to make wise choices.
- Forgive the mistakes of others and ask forgiveness for ours.
Let’s not hang one another out to dry. Instead, let’s treat others like we want to be treated.
“He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. (Leviticus 16:21 NIV).
Thanks to Karen Atwood for the suggestion and to Lori Carmicle for the photo.
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Many children love to play in mud. Some animals roll in mud. However, no one wants to hear his name is mud.