To See God's Face
I have been thinking for a long time about themes that run through the Scriptures and one that is coming up in Scripture as well as the financial and globalization books I'm reading (Re_Imagine, The World is Flat and Rich Dad/Poor Dad) is that personal responsibility is what gives freedom to creativity and freedom to lead by example. It is the embracing of pain as part of life, it is seeing people through God's eyes, seeing opportunities for money that don't depend on someone else except for myself, it is taking ownership of my gifts and faults and mistakes and victories all with humility. This is the kind of person that stands out and is given greater and greater responsibility by Jesus. The other side is that we depend on our boss for a raise and if he doesn't give us one, then we blame our arrested development in finance on him, we expect somebody else to teach our children the Scriptures and then when they don't receive the training they need to face the world we can blame our youth pastor, when pains comes we look for a reason or excuse or somebody to blame instead of just realizing that it is part of life and then move forward. So much in lack of maturity in leadership is the expectation that somebody else has to do it for me, explain it for me, teach it to me, give it to me, and when they don't we have the convenience of blame - that all started in Eden and continues today. I believe the truest and boldest leaders are the ones who take personal responsibility seriously and then use that posture to serve others. The wandering Israelites wanted someone to stand between them and God, because they didn't like to be that close to God, to have Him have that much personal contact with them. First they made a golden calf, then they told Moses to go by himself before God, then they blamed Moses for bringing them out into the desert continually and then they blamed him when they got to the Promised Land for bringing them to a death trap. The two spies took on personal responsibility and explained that "they" could do what God had called them to. Moses boldly asked to see God and not be hidden from Him. So in conclusion it seems that those who look to be most responsible personally with what God has given them and not depend too heavily on a leader, a politician, a wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend, a pastor, a parent, or anyone on whom they can formulate 
blame towards will end up being the bravest, boldest, kindest, most integrable and trustworthy servant leaders we have. How do we learn to be okay with owning our circumstances? How do we become whole-heartedly responsible for our every decision, both good and bad? How did He?
I have been thinking for a long time about themes that run through the Scriptures and one that is coming up in Scripture as well as the financial and globalization books I'm reading (Re_Imagine, The World is Flat and Rich Dad/Poor Dad) is that personal responsibility is what gives freedom to creativity and freedom to lead by example. It is the embracing of pain as part of life, it is seeing people through God's eyes, seeing opportunities for money that don't depend on someone else except for myself, it is taking ownership of my gifts and faults and mistakes and victories all with humility. This is the kind of person that stands out and is given greater and greater responsibility by Jesus. The other side is that we depend on our boss for a raise and if he doesn't give us one, then we blame our arrested development in finance on him, we expect somebody else to teach our children the Scriptures and then when they don't receive the training they need to face the world we can blame our youth pastor, when pains comes we look for a reason or excuse or somebody to blame instead of just realizing that it is part of life and then move forward. So much in lack of maturity in leadership is the expectation that somebody else has to do it for me, explain it for me, teach it to me, give it to me, and when they don't we have the convenience of blame - that all started in Eden and continues today. I believe the truest and boldest leaders are the ones who take personal responsibility seriously and then use that posture to serve others. The wandering Israelites wanted someone to stand between them and God, because they didn't like to be that close to God, to have Him have that much personal contact with them. First they made a golden calf, then they told Moses to go by himself before God, then they blamed Moses for bringing them out into the desert continually and then they blamed him when they got to the Promised Land for bringing them to a death trap. The two spies took on personal responsibility and explained that "they" could do what God had called them to. Moses boldly asked to see God and not be hidden from Him. So in conclusion it seems that those who look to be most responsible personally with what God has given them and not depend too heavily on a leader, a politician, a wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend, a pastor, a parent, or anyone on whom they can formulate 
blame towards will end up being the bravest, boldest, kindest, most integrable and trustworthy servant leaders we have. How do we learn to be okay with owning our circumstances? How do we become whole-heartedly responsible for our every decision, both good and bad? How did He?
hey nathan,
ReplyDeletegood insights. it's true, starting with Adam blaming God for giving him Eve, it's been the same thing throughout history. we love to shift blame and responsibility. and while sometimes life doesn't seem fair because the circumstances of some from the very get-go are bleak, but God still holds us responsible.
that's one of the major components of us being 'made in His image.' we are responsible for the choices we make. we have been bestowed with great potential to do good or bad. but regardless of what we choose, it's all on us.
praise God for grace to forgive us when we mess up and for the intimacy hes provided through Jesus so that we can ask Him for wisdom.