Responsibility

Some years ago, a case made headlines when a woman was awarded over a million dollars because she spilled a cup of coffee in her lap and sued the restaurant, saying the coffee was too hot. Many people were shocked that someone could actually sue and win for something she had done. But such is the law of the land in which we live.

I remember the word 'responsibility' came up many times in comments about that case, and it came up a few times in President Obama's inagural speech. But what is he really calling on us to do when he asks us to be responsible? I believe he is simply asking us to do what we know needs to be done. The way we tell our children to pick up after themselves and not expect someone else to do if for them. The time has come for each one of us to pick up after ourselves; to hold ourselves accountable for our actions, instead of trying to blame someone else when we spill hot coffee in our laps.

We may choose to ignore the President's call to be responsible, and he won't be able to call us to account, but according to the Bible, there is coming a day when "... we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14: 12). Yes, whether we like it or not, we will one day all answer to an Authority higher than the President of the United States.