Responsibility

From My Perspective - - - -

Accepting responsibility for one’s choices and actions is a difficult acknowledgement, especially if the choice was unwise and the action ludicrous. One only has to look at the Congress of the United States to see how difficult it is for one to (a) admit fault/error, and (b) to accept and agree with one with whom there is a partisan difference. It is reported that this Congress accomplished the least of any recent Congress (and then they need a 5 week vacation to recover from their inaction). Fox News reported that only 14% of the population approved of this Congress’ performance. But the finger-pointing continues – Democrats pointing at Republicans and Republicans pointing at Democrats.

It is obvious that imbedded in human nature is the ability to avoid accepting responsibility. From the Creation of the Universe and World, man has demonstrated the innate desire to shift focus and rationalize when it comes to accountability for choices and actions. When the Temptation occurs in the Garden of Eden, and as that scene unfolds, when God confronts Adam about his choice and action of disobedience to God’s only Law – Adam responds: The Woman you gave me tried it and liked it and told me to eat the fruit. When God confronts Eve about her choice and action of disobedience to God’s only Law – Eve responds: The serpent You Created said it would be alright (and that You didn’t really mean what You said about dying and stuff). One can be certain that if the serpent had been challenged with the same question, he might have responded: Who? Me?

An important Biblical narrative regarding the acceptance of responsibility pertains to the conduct of David when he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and then arranged for the murder of her husband in battle. As much as he tried to avoid responsibility for his actions, he was internally afflicted and conflicted. One can only imagine the agony of soul experienced by David as he struggled with his disobedience and awful behavior. In both Psalm 32 and Psalm 51, we have a brief glimpse of that inner struggle and the resolve that was finally sought. In Psalm 32, it speaks of the soul’s anguish and the pain within his bones when he tried to remain silent about his sin and admitting the same to God.

In Psalm 51, David finally arrives at the point where he cries out to God: “Against You – You only have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight!” As the Psalm progresses and as he seeks the mercy and forgiveness, David makes certain requests in Psalm 51:7 through 14, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.”

It is a regrettable observation that in the Church one will often find turbulence rather than tranquility, factions rather than unity, self-centeredness rather than yieldedness, conflict rather than peace. The Book of Revelation (Chapters 2 and 3) pictures Jesus Christ walking in the midst of Seven Churches and stating what he is observing. Out of the seven, only one receives almost complete approval. If Jesus Christ walked in the midst of our Churches in the United States today – what would He observe? What would He indicate needs to take place? Would He point His finger directly at the Church one belongs to and categorize what He sees wrong? Would He state – and would we heed – Repent! Return to your first love! – or else you will be removed from any further Kingdom opportunity and meaningful representation? Could that be why one can observe so many churches that seem to be “going through the motions” while actually going nowhere?

Consider these things with me and accept responsibility to be different and to do differently - - -