Daily Thought for Wednesday, November 16th

November 16, 2011

Be Responsible

Today’s Thought:

“Responsibility is the price of greatness.” – Winston Churchill

Today’s Quote:

“I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.” – John D. Rockefeller

Today’s Question:

Would you agree that more often than not; “Responsibilities gravitate to the person who can shoulder them?” – Elbert Hubbard

Today’s Bible Verses:                    Luke 12:36-48

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

“The great developer is responsibility.” – Louis D. Brandeis

By in large, society today is not big on embracing responsibility.  It seems the current trend in moral consciousness, at least from a secular perspective, is to blame something or someone else for why we act in a certain way, or why do the things we do.

However, this is not God’s way.

God is a staunch supporter of the concept of being held responsible.  Remember it is God who said, “The wages of sin is death…” - The Bible (Romans 6:23)   Yet His grace and love  allows for pardon for those who acknowledge and accept their sinful state and their need for a savior: “…but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – The Bible (Romans 6:23)

And for the Christian we need to bare in mind: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” – The Bible (Hebrews 9:27)

God expects His children to accept responsibility for the choices we make and He will call us into account for what we did and didn’t do.

So how then, can we strive to ensure that we are behaving in a responsible manner, so as to have a good account for which to give answer when we stand before Him?

As a Christian to be responsible it to:

“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.  Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings.  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” – The Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:15-22)

The good news is this, or maybe it is not as good news as we would like it to be; but nonetheless, we will only have to answer to God for ourselves as will each of our brothers and sisters in the faith.  We may have to answer for how we treat each other but we won’t be held accountable for each individuals choices; only our own.

Today’s Prayer:

Father, being held accountable and accepting responsibility is not always pleasant but I know it is needful: so help me to submit to your searching of my heart each day and help me to embrace my responsibility for my deeds and be willing to change them wherever you show me I should.

“The buck stops here.”

- Harry S. Truman