Victim Mentality

“Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.”  I Samuel 23:19-21

In my Bible, beside the words of King Saul (above), I have written – “WHAT?!?!”  And, every time I read this passage, I just shake my head as I wonder how a person could be so blinded to their own wrong-doings…to the point of only seeing themselves as a VICTIM in their circumstance. King Saul was being driven by his own jealousy to kill David…but…King Saul is the one being wronged??  I don’t think so.

Reading this story is a very good reminder of just how blinded each of us can be to our own faults in a matter. Yes, there are times when we may find ourselves as victims of injustice. And, just as Joseph was falsely accused, we must stay in God’s presence while remembering He has allowed it for our good. But, before we automatically pass out the pity party invitations any time we find ourselves on the receiving end of what we deem as injustice, our first stop should be at a mirror as we ask some questions –

Have I brought this affliction on myself?  Have my words or actions played a part in this strife? What about my attitude?  If we are honest with ourselves (and honesty can be painful), I believe there will be times that we will realize our perceived mistreatment is at least in part the fruit of some fleshly seed we have sown.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23,24