You're Irresponsible

"What's Wrong with You?", Part 4

Back in the early 2000s, I encountered the Living the Questions DVD series. This series promoted progressive Christianity. It interviewed some big names and gathered their wisdom all in one place. 

One interviewee was the famous historical Jesus scholar John Dominic Crossan. As he talked about the beginning of Genesis and the Fall (if I recall correctly, and it has been 20 years since I watched the video) he said it shows us that God can handle sin. What God cannot handle, however, is irresponsibility. 

What an amazing insight! 

After watching that interview, I couldn’t help but read the Bible through the lens of a divine call to responsibility. And that changed how I saw nearly everything. 

Irresponsibility in the Bible 

This call to be responsible is everywhere in the Bible. 

• “...am I my brother's keeper?” (Gen 4:9b)

• “...you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev 19:18b)

• “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)

• “‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’” (Matt. 25:40b)

• “If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?” (James 2:15-16)

• “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16)

In fact, I see this call to responsibility soooo everywhere in the Bible that I believe it is a primary calling, if not the definitive one for Christians. We are called to accept responsibility for our own health and well-being, as well as accept responsibility for the health and well-being of those around us. 

But what does it mean to “accept responsibility”?

Seeking Deeper Meaning in Life?

If you want to work through a process of intentional spiritual growth so you can become who you were truly meant to be, check out my 49-Day Spiritual Growth Journal.

Accepting responsibility for one's self

One metaphorical way to look at your life is as your own personal “kingdom”. Your kingdom is yours, and you can do with it whatever you want. But, the bottom line is that you are responsible for it. 

Just like if you were the monarch of any other kingdom, you need to consider…

• How to budget your revenue 

• How to promote the health and well-being of the people in your kingdom (that's you) 

• How to manage the relationships with other kingdoms (that's the people around you) 

If you manage your kingdom well, it will thrive. If you don't, it will collapse.

Overall, when I think about accepting responsibility for your kingdom (for yourself), I primarily think in terms of health and well-being. 

• Are you taking care of your body? 

• Are you taking care of your emotions? 

• Are you taking care of your finances? 

• Are you taking care of your spiritual life? 

Another way to approach this is to ask this question…

Are you caring for and loving yourself appropriately? 

I believe part of loving ourselves is learning how to non-judgmentally accept ourselves. Every human being has been scarred by life, and as a result, we’re all a complete mess on the inside. Unfortunately, sometimes our wounds take control of our lives and dictate the paths we walk and behaviors we engage in. 

As we learn how to love and accept ourselves more fully, we integrate our wounds and transform them into sources of wisdom. This process of self-love and self-acceptance empowers us to become more fully who we are meant to be as a unique human being.

So, taking responsibility for your life is more than just balancing the budget or hitting the gym. It's about relating to yourself in a way that is gentle and graceful, yet continually challenges you to become more fully who you were meant to be.