On Justifying Our Faults

The frequent human failing of pointing to the faults and defects of others in justifying our own is sharply questioned by Thomas a Kempis. “What is it to you if a man is such and such,” he said. “If another does or says this or that? You will not have to answer for others, but you will have to give an account of yourself.”

There is a universal human tendency to look at what others do, to listen to what others say, and to take comfort in the weaknesses of others as an excuse for our own. We are often disposed to say, “He did it,” or someone else did it, or somebody’s son did it and so it is all right for us to do. In matters of dishonesty, immorality, cheating or cutting corners, we are too likely to justify ourselves by the errors and acts of others.

What everyone or anyone else is doing may be right or may be wrong but the number involved does not make good of an evil act. The number of those who cheat does not make dishonesty honest. It is not good to follow a bad example no matter how many others do.  

On this point of dividing responsibility by multiplying the participants, Kipling gave us this terse, unforgettable sentence: “The sin they do by two and two they must pay for one by one.”

We all have influence with others, and anyone who does what he shouldn’t do makes it easier for others to do what they shouldn’t do. And instead of following others in a wrong direction we ought to lead them in a right direction.

We have an obligation to look at things as they are: as to their conformity with the commandments, as to their virtue or honor or honesty-and to look at ourselves and accept the right and the responsibility of deciding for ourselves.  Beyond what we can see shortsightedly we are sustained by the fact that the judgements of our Father in Heaven will be fair that he will not judge us by others, that we shall not receive more or less than we deserve, that no man will lose what he is entitled to. We would well decide to follow good examples and not to follow bad ones nor seek to justify ourselves by the acts of others

“The sin they do by two and two they must pay for one by one.”  You will not have to answer for others but you will have to give an account of yourself.