The False Idol of Victimhood

For each will have to bear his [her] own load. (Galatians 6:5)

You were enough the day you were born. God blessed you with the Almighty's divine image. Being in the image of God does not mean we are perfect, but it does mean we are valued and worthy of attention and eternal life. On the deepest level, we are enough, having been created by a loving and all-powerful God.

With the knowledge of our innate worth, we can move within this world with humble confidence. Humble because all we are and ever will be is tied to our relationship with God. We are extremely limited in our accomplishments, apart from our Triune God. Confident because God has made clear to us that we are valued and will not be left to our own devices but will be forever guided by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, as people of faith, we are called to struggle against the false pleasure of victimhood. In our contemporary society, I am amazed at how often the rich and powerful dare to claim victimization. We base much of our present angst on fear and our weak victim response. Victims pretend they do not need to take responsibility for their actions because others have determined their negative outcome. Still, like the all-powerful Oz, when you pull back the curtain, we witness the mistakes and misjudgments we've made that created much of our misfortune.

We are under the divine care of our Triune God, but that does not mean we are free from responsibility. To be whole and strong, we must take responsibility for our actions. We must focus our blame inward before anyone can turn it on anyone else. It takes courage to be a Christian because God does not let us wallow in victimhood but reminds us of our worth and the necessity of humility. The Holy Spirit allows us to see with clarity and the courage to take responsibility so that we will fulfill our divine call.