Live Out Your Responsibility
Oct 3, 2019 | by Anthony Wade
Responsibility is a word that brings many images to mind. In some instances, it can describe a character trait that is synonymous with dependability. At one time or another, we all would like to hear one of our teachers or our boss describe us as showing a lot of responsibility. Most of the time in our society, however, that word is a noun used to describe some sort of task or duty. All of our lives, we hear that we have been given responsibilities. When you were three years old, you may have heard, “You’re an older sister now, Suzie, and you have more responsibilities.” What did your mom mean by that? Well, she probably meant that you can’t throw your toys around the baby, you’ll need to be quieter now so the baby can sleep, you’ll need to help feed the baby, or maybe even change diapers! Whatever it was, it probably revolved around the things you would have to DO in order to be a better big sister.
As life went on, you were gradually given more responsibilities. When you were five, you learned how to swim and were given another responsibility. At 10, you were named captain of the soccer team and given another responsibility. The day you got your driver’s license, the day you went to prom, and the day you graduated from high school all brought on more responsibilities. But it didn’t stop there. You decided to go to college, taking on MANYresponsibilities for being out “on your own”. After seven years you graduated and saw what real responsibilities were! You got your first career, got married, had children of your own and each of these only meant that you were given more and more responsibilities!
As a Christian, responsibility isn’t just a noun that describes something else that we do for the church, like taking out the trash, teaching a Sunday School class, or singing in the choir. It isn’t even just another thing that you do in your private, personal walk with the Lord like spending time in prayer, reading the Word every day, or fasting for 21 days every January. I want to redefine responsibility for you today to help you out in your walk with Jesus. It is really deep… are you ready? I want to define it as two separate words: response and ability.
In Christ, we have been given certain ability (or abilities). Now, don’t just think “talents” here, like being able to play the piano. I’m talking about abilities that go WAY BEYOND playing the piano. Think of all the things that your Heavenly Father has done for you. Think of the position He has given you! You have been made righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21), you are His body (Colossians 1:18), you have received eternal life (1 John 5:13), you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24), and you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing available (Ephesians 1:3). To sum it all up, YOU ARE COMPLETE IN HIM (Colossians 2:10)! Now, the question remains: what is going to be your response to that ability? Are you going to walk around talking defeat, walking in defeat, and acting like you are broke, busted, disgusted, and good for nothing? NO!!! You need to say that you are what His Word says you are. You need to see yourself as the picture of what you have been made to be in His Word. Your response to the ability on the inside of you will determine if you are responsible. Sure, you will want to pray more, you will want to read the Word, you may even want to fast, but you will begin to see those things as results of your righteousness, not steps to enhance it. By the way, when you see the trash needs taken out, you’ll do that in love, too.
You see, your responsibility in Christ Jesus cannot be given… only demonstrated. It is going to be defined by your response in faith to the ability God has given you by His grace. Don’t fall into the world’s trap of thinking you are simply what you can do in and of your own ability. See yourself as God sees you. See His marvelous ability at work on the inside of you and then make the proper response to it today!
Today’s Word Study: Ephesians 3:14-21