If you know children, or even remember being one, you'll know the truth of what I'm saying.  When they get in trouble, it's always someone or something else's fault.  It may be easier to spot in children, but we don't grow out of it as much as we'd like to think.  Our excuses just get more nuanced and elaborate.  It might be for something we do, or for something we don't do.  It doesn't matter, as long as we can shift the blame off of ourselves.  Excuses come in many forms.  Sometimes what we're really saying is that whatever is expected of us was not as important as something else.  We didn't want to, so we made up a reason.  Sometimes in life we do have to make those choices, but we better have our priorities straight when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.  We'll be in Luke 14, with the focus on verses 16-24.