Looking for Scapegoats
In a world where acceptance comes through performance, the longing for a scapegoat is very real. We look for another to take the blame. We throw others “under the bus” so we ourselves look good.
In our understanding, taking the responsibility and wearing the blame, is to be thought less of. It is to fail, to be seen as a disappointment, and unworthy of love and acceptance. The fear that failure will define our worth, dictate our status and determine our future, urges us on in pursuit of a scapegoat – someone to wear the blame, take the fall, and let us go free.
When our sense of self-worth is fragile and shallow, we dare not own our faults and failures. Our inner world cannot bear the weight of our own inadequacy. We crumble beneath the load and protect ourselves at the expense of others. Yet such actions are rooted in fear.
No wonder we resort to blame shifting, cover-ups, and lies. Our desperate attempt to gain acceptance demands that we maintain our mask of excellence and illusion of perfection. Such things are riddled with fear and the love of self.
What would it look like if we lived like we were truly loved and totally accepted? What if our identity was that we are “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)? His acceptance is our acceptance. Furthermore, He has already taken every sin and failure and nailed it to the cross. My failure does not diminish my worth. I can face my mistakes, correct wrongs, and deal with the mess of my own humanity because I am loved.
In the Old Covenant, God commanded not only a sacrifice to cover for sin, but also the provision of a scapegoat (Leviticus 16:8-10). The word scapegoat literally means a goat of departure or complete removal. In verse 21 of Leviticus 16, Aaron, the high priest, laid both hands on the head of the goat and confessed over it all the sins of the children of Israel. This goat bore those iniquities to an uninhabited land.
Confession of sin is about more than forgiveness; it’s about removing sin, guilt, and shame. Christ is the Lamb of God who died in our place. He is also the Scapegoat that took away our sin and shame. He took it with Him when He died.
Christ is our scapegoat; we need not look for another. Responsibility doesn’t need to frighten us, and wearing the blame doesn’t need to destroy us. Next time you’re tempted to seek a scapegoat, remember that one has already been given. If there are consequences to face, He will be there to guide you. If there’s restitution to be made, He will counsel and guide you. Rest in His love, lean into His wisdom, and trust Him to provide.
