What should I do when others blame me unfairly?

Joshua 22:15-16, 21-24, 26-27, 30When they arrived in the land of Gilead, they said to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, “The whole community of the Lord demands to know why you are betraying the God of Israel. How could you turn away from the Lord and build an altar for yourselves in rebellion against him?” . . . Then the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the heads of the clans of Israel: “The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! He knows the truth, and may Israel know it, too! We have not built the altar in treacherous rebellion against the Lord. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day. If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn away from the Lord or to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings, may the Lord himself punish us. The truth is, we have built this altar . . . not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a memorial.” . . . When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of Israel—heard this from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were satisfied.

Since several tribes of Israel claimed lands on the far side of the Jordan River, away from the other tribes, they built a memorial to remind the rest of the tribes that even the more distant tribes had a right to share in all the blessings of being God’s chosen people. When the other tribes misinterpreted their memorial as an altar designed for rebellious worship, the more distant tribes quickly explained their actions and reaffirmed their commitment to obey the God of Israel. An open response offered without defensiveness goes a long way toward settling misunderstandings.

Job 17:1-3“My spirit is crushed, and my life is nearly snuffed out. The grave is ready to receive me. I am surrounded by mockers. I watch how bitterly they taunt me. You must defend my innocence, O God, since no one else will stand up for me.”

Sometimes we are not to blame for our problems. Job refused to blame either God or himself for his tragic circumstances. We live in a fallen world where pain and suffering come to everyone. When we do something wrong, it’s wrong to avoid taking responsibility for our actions. But it’s just as wrong to blame ourselves for trouble that isn’t our fault. When we blame ourselves for something we didn’t do, we carry a load of guilt that isn’t ours to carry.