Sacred Responsibility

Image Source: Jesse Orrico

I have written often about experiencing God's grace in the world around us. But one of the greatest elements of the Jesus story is that we are able to partner with God in order to share God's grace with others.

There are many ways that we are able to do this - one of the primary being through our responsibilities to others.

Responsibility is not a word that generally excites us. It does not necessarily spark feelings of joy.

Often, our responsibilities are not thrilling activities. Our lives are filled with menial work: chores, paying bills, lifting children, etc.

If we resent these activities, we can easily begin resenting the people that we are doing them for.

For example, if we resent changing diapers, we can begin resenting the child whose diaper we are changing; if we get annoyed by listening to our friend's complaining about their problems, we can begin to be annoyed by our friend; if we hate working at our jobs, we can begin taking that emotion out on those who we are working to earn money for - our spouse, children, etc.

But what if we change the way that we view our responsibilities?

What if, instead of thinking of our responsibilities as something that we have to do, we think of them as a sacred opportunity that we have been given to bless those whom we love?

What if, instead of despising the need to pay our children's school fees because it leaves us short of money, we are grateful for the sacred responsibility that we have to bless our children with the opportunity to quality education? What if, instead of getting grumpy when we have to mow the lawn, wash dishes or clean our rooms, we are honoured for the sacred responsibility of caring for the things that we have been blessed with (things that many others could only dream of ever having)?

When we alter our attitude towards some of the menial tasks that we are required to do regularly, these tasks change from being things that we dread doing to things that we have the opportunity to do in order to share God's amazing grace with those around us.

What are some of the things that we do only because we have to? Could our attitude to these things change if we see them as sacred responsibilities that we have been given to bless those around us whom we love and care for?

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."

- Colossians 3:23 (NIV)