Pointing Fingers and Personal Guilt

God’s voice was heard throughout the garden, “where are you?” (Gen. 3:9). This probing question was no doubt designed for Adam and Eve’s benefit; they needed to realize where they were spiritually. They had chosen to rebel against God’s commands and commit the first sin.
Because of their sin, Adam and Eve experienced guilt. The guilt of sin caused them to be ashamed to be in God’s presence, so they hid themselves (Gen. 3:8). There is something about feeling guilty that seems to make us want to divert the attention away from us and toward others. The guilty person usually is a blaming person. If I am constantly critical of others, pointing fingers at what others are (or are not) doing, it is likely that I am struggling with my own guilt.
When Adam and Eve were approached because of their sin, they refused to confess their own responsibility and transgression. Rather they both began to point fingers and blame others. Adam seems not only to blame Eve but also God (Gen. 3:12). Likewise, Eve blames the serpent for her misbehavior (Gen. 3:13).
It is very easy to point fingers at others and critically evaluate their behavior. But I must be careful to examine myself first (Matt. 7:1-5). Satan utilizes our feelings of guilt that we might point fingers at others and ignore our own sins. God’s voice cries out to us today and asks, “where are you?”