Hardly anyone fails to notice how easy it is to get into trouble these days. There is a danger, however, of placing the blame for those troubles on anything and everyone but self. Saint Jude raises this reality in 8-11: In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. “It must be the fault of them”, or “God; it cannot be me!” right?

There certainly are other forces at work in this world, and they must be properly addressed, as Jude continues: But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’

But it is impossible to ignore my own responsibility in these matters: Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them. The decision is mine to make here because the price is very dear.

Jude concludes: Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. I recently received a traffic ticket for rolling through a STOP sign. Now $200 and Traffic School later, I have decided never to go through that again! I am mindful of my stopping patterns now, because neither God, nor Satan, nor angels, nor even the policeman made me do it! Now—I’M WATCHING ME!