It has become more popular today for people to talk about RESPONSIBILITY. This is a good thing to talk about, for not talking about it leads to the tragedy of losing rights and privileges (see my 02-09-09 Blog: “RIGHTS and Responsibilities” found below or at https://vtlessonstolearn.com/2009/02/09/rights-and-responsibilities/). You may have even heard someone recently say, such as some political leader, “I take responsibility for that.” It is refreshing and encouraging to hear someone actually talking about responsibility, yet what is The Tragedy that so often comes With RESPONSIBILITY?
I looked up the word “responsibility” to make sure I wasn’t missing something here. 😉 Aside from the typical definition using a part of the word to give the meaning (studying “responsible” can help too), the dictionary says that Responsibility is: “a. moral, legal, or mental accountability; b. RELIABILITY, TRUSTWORTHINESS.” The word “BURDEN” is also used. The first definition given for “Responsible” says, “liable to be called on to answer.” The explanation given also says that liable has the idea of “being held to account.” The applications here are rather obvious.
When a person says that they are taking responsibility for something, this means that they are taking ownership of that said thing to work toward a desired result. It means that if they are being true or honest about what they say, they will be taking some sort of action to bring about the result desired for the one to whom they acknowledge accountability. So, the persons involved in any “responsibility” are 1. The one(s) taking ownership; and 2. The one(s) to whom they will answer. Uncertainty comes when the goals of the one(s) looking for an answer are not clear or unified; failure is certain when the one taking responsibility does not act to meet the understood goals.
Practically and personally this comes down to you, dear reader, BEING A PERSON LIVING UP TO YOUR WORD. It means that if you say that you take responsibility, you will be acting and working to bring about the result. If you tell someone you will do something, then you must actually do it. If not, then your word is not trustworthy and you are not being responsible. If you fail to keep your word, you should repent and seek forgiveness from those to whom you gave your word, yet failed to live up to it.
Oh, friend, the Tragedy coming with Responsibility is not living up to your word or even more so, not acknowledging the ULTIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SOURCE you have. Your CREATOR, JESUS CHRIST, said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). We WILL have to give an account to HIM—not only for what we say, but what we do or fail to do and even what we think on (c.f. Ecclesiastes 12:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10 for the believer; and even Revelation 20:12 for the unbeliever).
Please BE a person of your word! Do not merely SAY you take RESPONSIBILITY. Be certain of what your CREATOR requires of you and do it! You will give an account to HIM (see also Hebrews 9:27) for EVERYTHING, and that day, dear friend, will be a TRAGEDY for you if you do not have forgiveness for your failures in living up to your own RESPONSIBILITY. None of us are perfect there. We need JESUS CHRIST!
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