Victimhood

There is an undeniable cultural drift that caters to Victimhood. Schools for years have given “participation trophies” to avoid the heartache of losing. There is an all-out war against bullies. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google, Amazon, etc. have been silencing people under the cloak of protecting others that could be offended. People are avoiding trigger topics and Universities have safe spaces with the idea to produce a world with fewer victims. Professional victims are offended on behalf of others who fail to be offended.

Victimhood is contrary to Godliness in a minimum of 4 ways.

1. It demands sympathy for the individual. It is common in the courts for felons to proclaim that their history of victimization contributed to their harmful, sometimes savage, and illegal actions. See, it’s not their fault.

2. It delights one’s self with moral elitism. One perceives himself as having immaculate morality and views everyone else as being unfair. Moral elitism can control others with the accusation of being unfair or selfish. In the culture of victimhood, you automatically become the aggressor and I am the victim. In reality, the problem is my anxiety, insecurity, or pretense.

3. It discourages empathy. People who have just been wronged or reminded of a time when they were wronged feel entitled to behave selfishly, ignoring the true suffering of others. Individuals may feel as though they have suffered enough so they are “no longer obligated to care”. This mindset is not of God! What is the first fruit of the Spirit? Love - and also among them, longsuffering.

4. It dwells on past victimization. Bitterness and hatred are the cancer you must choose to remove lest it extricates friends and family. Victimhood is the imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God – against His promises, answers, and victories. Looking within to our own reasoning (Pro. 16:2), instead of Casting our care upon Him….

Victimhood is contrary to reality

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! (Matthew 18:7)

Not that we should seek them. Not that offenses should define us, but that they will come! Rather than claim victimhood, the goal is to move beyond the offense. There are no negotiating past offenses, but with God’s help, we abate our future discontentment. We can be more productive as a Christian, brother/sister in Christ, husband/wife, father/mother, boss/employee when we reject the concept that we should never see sorrow, disappointment, rejection, or suffer loss.

To be a victim of the Independent Fundamental Baptist is a recent popular campaign. The only qualification needed to join these clubs is an offense made towards you within the church. This progressive shift rarely leads to a stronger walk or faith in Christ, and in all cases I’ve known, standards were diminished. Consequently, their hypercritical opinion of the IFB mirrors their own accusations and judgments. As someone said, “These people are so judgmental! I can tell by looking at them.”

– King Saul declared victimhood status. (1 Sam. 22:8)

– Amnon was a victim of what he couldn’t have. (2 Sam. 13:2)

– Absalom won the hearts of Israel politically by making them feel like victims. (2 Sam. 15:4-6)

– Ahab, the most entitled man, was a victim because he couldn’t have Naboth’s vineyard. (1 Kings 21:4)

– Haman proclaimed his riches, promotion, authority, and status, yet, claimed victimhood. (Esther 5:13)

The Victimhood mindset contributes to a lack of willingness to forgive others by creating the perception that one’s bitterness is “valid”. One who attains such a mindset blames God as Adam and Moses did.

How do You Prevail over Victimhood? Focus on Jesus and not on self.

– Joseph’s attitude and focus were on the Lord, and not circumstances.

– How did Job respond? (See Job 1:20-21)

– Paul’s suffering was for Christ’s glory, not people’s sympathy.

Consider 2 Corinthians 4:8-10:

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Christ is manifested by our faithfulness, not victimhood. Remember what Peter said to believers of his day:

I Pet. 5:7-9 ...the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Looking to ourselves produces a self-centered, victimized lifestyle that cripples our effective Christianity. The “2 Corinthians 1:3-4” principle will not be followed. Victims MUST move forward in their lives without needing emotional bodyguards to protect them from the unpreventable pains of life.

The answer to victimhood is not validation or vindication, but the formidable practice of changing your focus - from self to service, from self to the Savior - and being, NOT lovers of self but, lovers of God.