Responsibility

ACTING RESPONSIBLY

 

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with

such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16, NIV)

 

You’ve probably heard about the mother who, early one morning,

went in to wake up her son. “Wake up, son. It’s time to go to school!”

 

“But why, Mom? I don’t want to go.”

 

“Give me two reasons why you don’t want to go.”

 

“Well, the kids hate me for one, and the teachers hate me, too!”

 

“Oh, that’s no reason not to go to school. Come on now and

get ready.”

 

“Give me two reasons why I should go to school.”

 

“Well, for one, you’re 52 years old. And for another, you’re

the principal!”

 

I’m sure that most, if not all, of us can identify with the man

in this “parable”!

 

We all have times when we need to do things when we don’t feel

like it. It’s called having a sense of responsibility. If none of us

acted responsibly, our whole social structure would fall apart.

While it is good to do what we like doing, it helps us to learn to like

what we need to do -- at least most of the things we need to do.

There will always be some things that we don’t particularly like doing.

 

Having said that, if we constantly hate the work we are doing,

perhaps we are in the wrong profession and need to look for work

that we enjoy doing, are gifted for and find fulfillment in doing,

and if necessary, retrain so we can find a more fulfilling job.

 

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to always act responsibly

even when I don’t feel like it. And help me to find a vocation that

I find fulfilling, that is meaningful, that I enjoy doing -- and that

helps make my world a better place in which to live. Gratefully,

in Jesus’ name. Amen.”