I put the ways of childhood behind me. 1 Cor 13:11

Taking responsibility for your own actions means that your first reaction when a mistake is made or a conflict arises isn’t to blame others, make excuses, twist the facts, or flat-out lie. Instead, you swiftly acknowledge there is a problem, identify your role in it, and implement an action plan to minimize the chances of it happening again.

Part of growing up is taking responsibility for oneself. We start as infants with no personal responsibility whatsoever—everything that needs to be done is done for us. As we progress through the various stages of childhood, we take on more and more responsibility. We learn to tie our own shoelaces, tidy our own rooms, and turn our own homework in. We understand that responsibility has its rewards and irresponsibility has other, less-than-desirable effects. The difference between a child and a man is their willingness to take personal responsibility for their actions. As St. Paul says, “When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

In fact, God clearly defined right and wrong, and His people were expected to do what was right. This has been the case ever since Adam was given a specific command and expected to obey it in the Garden of Eden. However, Adam was convinced by the snake and ate the forbidden fruit. Therefore, he had to bear the consequence – of being expelled from the Garden of Eden.

The Bible expects us to take personal responsibility in all areas of life. For instance, as students, one of our responsibilities is to hand in our homework on time. If we couldn’t submit them on time as we were supposed to, we may get records or be punished. Moreover, we also need to take responsibility for being a member of our family. We should help out with the housework and care for our family members, and face ups and downs all together with our families.

In conclusion, taking responsibility is to finish the jobs we are supposed to do and to bear the consequences when we make mistakes. It is not only about big events, but it is also about our everyday life. Now, let us ask for God’s help in learning to take responsibility.

Yellow House
1 June 2022