It’s amazing the depth of abilities and potential the Creator has seeded into every individual! A hero of faith is not one who has not faced opposition but overcame it to accomplish great things for the good of humanity and the building of God’s Kingdom! Great leaders are not just those who have great influence, wealth, or power, but those who take responsibility for what has been entrusted to them.
Rosa Parks, a devout Christian, arose with the strength of character and the courage of heart as she made a bold stand against injustice in the midst of racial segregation and discrimination of the deep south. It was 60 years ago when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger which led to a widespread boycott of the bus lines in Montgomery, Alabama. She was a “David” who stood bravely against a giant of prejudice. By her response she motivated the masses to stand for what was right.
“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free…so other people would be free also.” Rosa Parks
Great leaders, known or unknown, are those who have intrinsically embraced a “response-to-their-ability” despite personal challenges and the unfairness of life. They do not need external motivation or supervision but act on their own initiative as they abandon themselves in obedience to the voice of God. They serve within the framework of moral obligation for the good of others as they build God’s Kingdom. We know the quote from Edmund Burke that speaks about the triumph of evil because good men do nothing, but the opposite is also true! When God’s people speak up and take personal responsibility for their world, evil can be defeated. We might not be able to change the whole world, but we can positively impact our little piece of it.
It’s so easy to blame others or circumstances as we excuse ourselves from personal responsibility. We wait for someone somewhere to do something. Every person has a choice to take responsibility; a choice to be a catalyst for positive change in their world no matter how small it may seem. If we ignore the opportunity that our influence makes available for us, we will have to accept things as they are or watch our world deteriorate for ourselves and generations to come.
“Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will—his personal responsibility.” Albert Schweitzer
Father God honors those who embrace personal “response-to-ability.” Responsibility carries the meaning of power, direction, custody of, dominion, labor, service, and the work itself.
Daniel Webster said, “The most important thought that ever occupied my mind is that of my individual responsibility to God.”
Look at some examples from the Bible:
Abraham had a responsibility to obey the terms of the covenant. (Genesis 7:9)
Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. (Genesis 39:5-7)
Eleazar was given special responsibility for the oversight of the sanctuary. (Numbers 3:32)
Spoken to an unnamed Israelite: “If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don’t ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner.” Deuteronomy 22:1, NLT)
“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing…” (Matthew 24:45, NLT)
And lastly, Romans 12:8, “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” (NLT)
It’s time for us to impact our world as we take responsibility to “occupy until He comes!” In Father’s great sovereignty He chose us in Him to be born at this time in history to demonstrate His heart, build His Kingdom, and release what He has placed within us! What an honor to demonstrate our faith by our acceptance of responsibility! We cannot give what has not been given to us, but we can take a proactive stance to “respond-to-our-ability.” This is not religious works; it is a stance of love because it is birthed out of passionate love for The One you serve!
“Love always involves responsibility, and love always involves sacrifice. And we do not really love Christ unless we are prepared to face His task and to take up His Cross.” William Barclay
When we excuse ourselves from responsibility we are actually dishonoring Father God and His Kingdom. We see His mandates of love as trivial, unimportant or inconsequential. He told us to seek FIRST His Kingdom and from that central place of value-driven motivation we will experience His response of adding to us where we have need.
We want heaven’s supernatural involvement in our lives and God wants our partnership. He is looking through the whole earth to find those whose hearts are turned toward Him and His Kingdom. What you do is based upon what He has placed within you, what He speaks to you, and what He reveals to you within His Word. We have no idea the blessing, the breakthrough, the impact, or the open doors on the other side of our “response-to-ability.”
When we partner our ability with God’s ability, impossibilities become possible!
The world is waiting for you!
Dr. Melodye Hilton