A responsible person has a habit of being reliable and trustworthy in fulfilling obligations and in completing required duties. A Christian should always be known to be responsible to God, to other people, for work that he has to do, and for things that he is to care for. An irresponsible person must be constantly reminded to do those things that are required of him in his daily service for the Lord. An irresponsible person is a burden to others, who must then also remember the responsibilities of another person.
As a Christian you must account to God for the faithfulness that you show during this life in fulfilling God-given responsibilities. Rom. 14:12 2 Cor. 5:10 1 Cor. 3:13-15 You are responsible to do or to be in training to do all of those things that you have learned from God’s Word as being required for a Christian. Luke 12:48b 1 Cor. 4:2 Individually, you are responsible for tne use of the talents that God has given to you to use in your service for Him. Lk. 19:12-27
Responsibility must begin in your thoughts. Your responsibilities should constantly be an important part of your thoughts. Forgetting does not excuse you from the sin of irresponsibility. You will forget those things that are not important to you. When your responsibilities become important to you because of your love for the Lord and for your parents, you will not often forget those things that you are required to do. An irresponsible person is unconcerned about responsibilities, but instead thinks about satisfying his own selfish desires. “If it feels good, do it.” On the other hand, “If it doesn’t feel good, don’t do it.” The irresponsible person does what he feels like doing, and resists doing those things that take effort or are unpleasant to do.
What things are you doing to learn to be a more responsible person?
- I am a careful user of time. Ep. 5:15,16
- Without being reminded I do the things that I am expected to do at home.
- I am responsible in getting papers, notes, report cards, etc., home promptly and returned promptly to school if necessary.
- I am responsible in giving out the Word of God whenever I have the opportunity.
- I am considered to be a responsible person by others outside of my family who ask me to do jobs.
- I am responsible to God by daily giving to Him to use that which He already owns – my mind and body. 1 Cor. 6:19,20 Rom. 12:1
- I am responsible for the things that I am taught. I try to memorize and use in my life those things that adults instruct me in.
- I am responsible with my money, being sure to give back the proper amount to God, and to use the remainder in a way that is pleasing to Him.
- I accept responsibility for others younger than I am by helping them to remember their own responsibilities, by correcting them when necessary, and by encouraging them.
- By the way that I take care of responsibilities now I am showing that I am preparing for bigger responsibilities in the next few years.
If you are not reliable in fulfilling the day-to-day responsibilities given to you, then you are not preparing to be a servant who can be greatly used by God. Set a goal for yourself to improve in something that you now have trouble being responsible for. Daily ask the Lord to help you to reach your goal.
“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharoah, and to all his servants, and to all his land.”
Deuteronomy 34:10,11
