Taking Responsibility:

Actions have consequences.  Decisions we make will have certain outcomes.  These are undeniable truths; but some people seem to live in a dream world and believe that society or government or somebody has the job of negating this basic rule of human interaction.

 

I am in contact with many people--through email, by telephone, through this blog, and in person.  All too many of these people--many of them good friends of mine--have had to endure horrifying childhoods and are living even now in situations that sadden and concern me greatly.  Most of these people, however, have come to realize that as adults, they are responsible for their lives.  Now, of course, I am not speaking in such absolute terms as to rule out the dimension of God's ultimate control over our lives.  God alone is sovereign.  What I am saying is that most people, by the time they become mature adults, realize that it does no good to blame their failures on their past.  We are responsible for the decisions we make, for our actions, for our thoughts, for our responses, our mistakes, our judgments--good and bad.  Even those adults who think this a harsh approach to take toward others or toward certain groups, recognize that, on the individual level, they must take responsibility for their own lives. 

Christianity makes us accountable.  We are accountable to God.  Now, there may be perfectly good reasons for the mistakes we make, the instances of failure in our lives, the times we made poor decisions.  But good reasons don't excuse bad choices.  I say this even for myself.  I have made bad decisions, done stupid things, made wrong choices.  And guess what!  I don't hold you, or the government, or my parents, or my blindness responsible for any of that!  This has implications for religion and theology.  It also has implications for politics and government.  That's part of what I plan to write about in the next few entries.  Stay tuned.