TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR LIVES

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR LIVES










You wouldn’t know it
By watching the 5 o’clock news
But we are all
Going to be held responsible
HELD accountable for our own lives


But today---in our culture
All you hear is---
“He did this to me---
Or it wasn’t my fault---she did it”


We ALL have had the experience
Of doing wrong in our life
And tried to EXPLAIN it away
With an excuse
Or by dragging someone else in to it
To share the blame


WE NEED to be a little more like David, who said,
“I am the one
Who sinned and done wrong
These are but sheep
What have they done?” 2 Samuel 24:17


When was the last time
In our culture---you heard someone stand up and say---
“Yes I did it---it was my fault---
I take responsibility for my actions”


It has been so long
I can’t even remember when


Instead---all we hear about
Is lawyers getting their clients off on technicalities
And frivolous lawsuit after lawsuit


It takes honesty and humility
To stand up, and say,
“It is I who have done wrong,”
As David did


And finally, Dear Lord,
We must remember
That we are NOT only responsible
For what we do
But also
For what we don’t do


If we have the capacity
To help someone
And we don’t---well
Look at what John wrote,


“This is how we know
What love is
Jesus Christ laid down his life
For us


And we ought to
Lay down our lives
For our brothers


If anyone
Has material possessions
And sees his brother in need
But has no pity on him
How can the love of God
Be in him


Dear children
Let us not love with words---or tongue
But with actions and in truth” 1 John 3:16-18


Dear friends
Only one had a blameless life
And it wasn’t you or me


And so dear Lord---we pray
That when called upon
We have the courage to stand up and say,


“I did it---or I didn’t do it”


Robert P. Wallman
2-2-12




11-11-14 and 10-18 & 19-2018