Whine, Whine, Everywhere there's a Whine

OK, boys and girls, we found out today what Roger Goodell had to say about the impositions of penalties on various non-player personnel of the New Orleans Saints with regard to their against-the-rules, multiple-year bounty program that continued despite warnings from the National Football League.

And Roger Goodell threw the book at them.

Listening to WWL over lunch, Jeff and I noted that so many people are calling talking about what the NFL did to the Saints or what the NFL did to the fans, but NO ONE seems to be talking about the fact that these rulings would not have come down had the Saints simply FOLLOWED THE RULES IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Then again, isn't this how we so often approach life?  Look at what THEY did to ME.  Like one teacher explained to me, "Look, I didn't GIVE you a B on that exam...it's what you EARNED through the accuracy level of the answers YOU gave."

I do, however, wonder what these reactions have to say about our relationship with God.  (Yes, whether you realize it or not, EVERYTHING is theological.)  Isn't it always easier to blame someone else for the consequences of our actions rather than realize that when we 'commit the crime' we had better be ready to 'do the time?'  We want all of God's grace, but none of the accountability.  Why do we think that we are entitled to do whatever we want?

Then, we also get into the whole, "Well, everyone else is doing it - why pick on me?" routine.  But that's another column for another day.

Long story short - I agree the penalties are harsh.  But I also know that had the Saints not violated the rules, they would not have faced any penalties.  

How often do we allow ourselves to whine and complain about things we face when the fact of the matter is that we are the ones responsible for our actions?

Grace and Peace, Lamar