Taking Responsibility

-


Scripture:

Ezek. 18:2 What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”?
Ezek. 18:3 As I live, says the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.
Ezek. 18:4 Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.

Observation:

The Israelites were making excuses for their current state of affairs.  They repeated the proverb, "the parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge."  This meant that the children were suffering the consequences of the sins of their parents.  The problem with this was that it meant that the current generation took no responsibility for their own action.  The result was inaction.  Why bother with trying to follow God if they had a fatalistic view that they were going to be punished because of what their ancestors had already done.  At the same time, why not just continue in sin because -- what difference is it going to make!  The people were apathetic and were using this proverb as an excuse to simply take no responsibility for the state of affairs in their own spiritual lives and for the land of Israel. 

God said that the time had come to put aside that proverb.  And there is something humorous in this as well -- because the reality is that the children's teeth could not have been put on edge because of the parents eating sour grapes!  Teeth being put on edge comes from the idea of an axe becoming dull.  From eating sour grapes the teeth could be damaged and become dull.  However, the effect of eating sour grapes will only hurt the individual who eats the sour grapes.  Just because a parent ate sour grapes does not mean that children are born with a tooth problem! 

God is now saying that every person is accountable before him.  Parents would have to be accountable for their behavior.  Children, as well, would be responsible for themselves and not for the actions of their parents.  The day of making excuses was over!

Application:

It seems that things don't really change all that much, do they?  How many people are there today who are trying to make excuses for where they have ended up in life? 

This scripture is not saying that there won't be consequences for children whose parents lived in sin -- but those consequences are not an excuse for their own sinfulness.  That's where I think we find ourselves today.  There are so many reasons that we can blame others for our current state of affairs:

My parents were abusive with me so I don't know how to be a good parent.

My father was an alcoholic so I'm destined to be one too.

I come from a heritage of people who have bad tempers -- I just can't help myself.  It's not my fault.

And the list can go on and on and on….

But God said, enough is enough.  No more blaming others for the punishment you are receiving.  Each generation, each person, is responsible for their own behavior and choices.  We will all be judged for our own sins and that means we have to take responsibility. 

If I'm frustrated with the current state of affairs in my church -- maybe I ought to do something to make a difference.  It's time to stop blaming it on the previous generation!  I must answer to God for what I have done during my lifetime! 

So, what will I do?  Life is short.  There is no time for excuses -- but there is time for action.  We must do all that we can with what God has given us and be responsible individuals in these days.  We have numerous opportunities to faithfully serve God with what he has given us.  The children of Israel -- each generation -- they still had the same promises of God.  He was ready and willing to help them and to be their King.  But generation after generation rejected him.  Their defeat was not inevitable.  They could have made a difference, if only they had turned toward God. 

We are invited to turn to God today -- and to take responsibility.  The proverb has been worn out -- and making excuses must come to an end!

Prayer:

Lord, please help me to be faithful to you today -- and be responsible for what you have placed in my life.  Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a ti...
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her ...
Read more

On Grief and A Flute Player

-
Scripture: Matt. 9:23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, Matt. 9:24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Matt. 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Matt. 9:26 And the report of this spread throughout that district. Observation: This is a simple story which we have heard or read numerous times. Jesus heals the little girl and the people rejoice. But at the moment in which he arrives at the home he encounters the professional mourners. These are the flute players, the ones who have come to make a great noise about the child’s death. It is the flute player that testifies to the fact that she is truly dead. Also, flutes were generally employed when it came to the death of a child. The whole community would therefore understand that it is a child who has died in this home. The flute player is doing the job they have ...
Read more