The Dangers of Victimhood

I am very well aware of the fact that I am a very different person — I am not like anyone else I know. I have thought at times, "I wonder if there is something wrong with me? Maybe I am depressed or perhaps debilitated in some area, maybe I have a chemical imbalance or perhaps some emotional problem?"

It's only been in recent history that humans have taken notice of problems such as depression, attention deficit disorder, bi-polar, and chemical imbalances. I think it can be shown that such disorders have been ignored for most of human history. As for me, I purposed in my mind and heart many years ago that I simply refuse to consider or look into these things — I am who I am, and having a disorder to blame my problems on was out of the question. I just decided that God's grace is sufficient for me, period, end of story. For me there could be no upside to victim status — I simply refused to accept any such thing to this date.

American Victimhood: A Culture in Crisis

Many today in America consider themselves a product of injustice. Someone, somewhere along the way has treated them wrong — they cannot forget about it, they are trapped, they have become a prisoner to victimhood.

There are some who truly have endured horrible injustice: victims of crimes, murder, theft, rape, children who have been abandoned by their parents, people who have been betrayed in marriage and divorce. There most certainly are people who truly do struggle to survive the injustices they have suffered, due to no fault of their own.

But there are many people who live in America and have not been severely victimized. Because we live in a society that parades its wealth — a society where children are told they are everything and deserve only constant happiness — they are instructed by the media that they are owed a college education, new shoes, new clothes, and a new car. Because of things like this, many people dangerously and erroneously believe themselves to be victims. They have received a lifetime membership to the society of victimhood.

The Fool Who Is Right in His Own Eyes

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." — Proverbs 12:15

The "victims" I speak of are not really victims at all. Instead, they are fools — they are right in their own eyes, and therefore justify their bad behavior, and therefore act and speak as victims. They no doubt can give their own version of the suffering they have endured, they can shed a face full of tears and gain the sympathy of many, but these people are fools. They are unthankful, proud, and unruly.

It is sad that our society many times cannot distinguish between real victims and these people. They really do believe themselves to be victims. These people are in serious need of wise counsel, but they refuse it.

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." — Proverbs 21:2–3

Have you ever seen a friend or family member do an act of sacrifice that you care little about, only to refuse to sacrifice on issues really important to you? Notice how they become angry with you when you don't appreciate their sacrifice?

I remember my son organizing my work tools without me asking him. I said, "Thanks for the effort, but I can't find my tools now and you took the tools out of my work truck where I need them." I guess he didn't like my lack of appreciation! A man that is right in his own eyes will many times do acts of sacrifice — those he deems suitable — but he won't do justice. He won't deal with the problems in his own heart, he won't take responsibility for his own actions, yet he will participate in self-serving sacrificial acts. It makes him feel like a good person, and victims are good people.

People who are false victims are in desperate need of seeing their own wicked hearts, because it is God who ponders the hearts of men. People who are false victims need to hear wise counsel — they need to get proper perspective, justice, and judgment, which is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. If these false victims cannot be reached, they will live lives as fools. They will never be happy or thankful, they will continue to wallow in the self-pity that victimhood affords them.

A Society Ruled by Foolishness

We live in a society of contradictions. A pro-football player can hit and knock out his wife in an elevator, admit to it, and be suspended for two games. But when people see a video of the incident, nothing changes — he still hit his wife just as he already admitted to — he is then suspended for life and loses his job. We are a society ruled by emotion rather than reason, and it shows in the absurdity of our inconsistencies.

In our crazy society it is said, "No real man will hit a woman" — and then on the other hand, we send our daughters to the battlefield in the military. So we arm our daughters with M-16s, send them to war, and preach that a woman can do anything a man can do. Hollywood loves to produce movies where women who look like Barbie dolls kick the living crap out of 300-pound men — and yet on the other hand, it's taboo for a man to hit a woman for any reason? Time fails me to speak of all the foolishness in our society. Truly a society of fools, where there is no rhyme or reason — just the whims of emotion and the fulfillment of prophecy:

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts; ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." — 2 Timothy 3:1–7

The Dangers of Victimhood: A Prison You Must Escape

Victims, whether real or fake, do have one very important thing in common: they are in a prison, and they need to be set free.

The truth shall set you free, just as the scriptures say. But if in your heart you hold to your victimhood — you justify bad behavior, you accept the excuse, you won't or cannot let go of your hurt or pain — you are held in prison and are thus a dangerous person to everyone in your life.

The dangers of victimhood are being played out in our lives every day. Politicians and lawyers try to use victimhood in others for their own gain. They never offer freedom to those in prison — that doesn't serve their purposes. How evil is that! Many people are in literal jails, dead on the street, rioting, putting drugs and alcohol into their systems, full of hate and violence. You see, victimhood is a very dangerous game.

The Only Escape: Jesus Christ

To those who are genuine and to those who are false victims, there is only one escape from this prison — it is found in the Man, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ was God from the beginning, robed in human form, without sin, perfect. He suffered the greatest crime of victimhood that any man has ever experienced — he was crucified in the most horrible way possible on a Roman cross. Jesus Christ called out to his Father while he agonized in pain on that cross and said, "Father, forgive them, because they don't understand what they are doing!"

Jesus Christ provided a way out of your prison. You don't have to be a victim anymore. You don't have to be dangerous to everyone around you anymore.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." — Galatians 2:20

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." — 2 Corinthians 5:17

You can only get out of this prison in Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. You don't need to be dangerous anymore — casting your cares upon him, for he cares for you.

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