“I know my rights.”
“I have the right to …”
These are popular American phrases.
Yet, a right without a companion responsibility is enslavement to emotion. It is narcissism. It is all about me without regard to others who may be affected–family, community, nation.
Having rights without responsibility leads to a culture of “us against them” and “I want mine, don’t care about the other people”. It leads to divisiveness. Argumentativeness.
In the end it leaves us with no rights.
John Adams (one of the nation’s founders) said, “Democracy can only exist with a moral people.”
Being moral is not a conservative versus liberal thing. It is a responsible versus irresponsible thing. Perhaps like the elder son and the prodigal son. Balance is restored when the irresponsible son comes to his senses and returns home.
Consider how many times Jesus did something and then gave the person something to do. “Pick up your mat and …” Or “Go show yourselves to the priests.” Or “Go and sin no more.” Or “Go and do likewise and you will be saved.”
Or, “You will know my followers by how they love one another.”
How well do we all live out that responsibility?
Faith Venture 
June 20, 2017 at 4:42 pm |
A lot of truth in this small space well said!!