Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Boundaries”
Our Bible verse for today: “But the fruit of the Spirit is … self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “We have to take personal responsibility for our choices.”
I once knew a person who had a long series of conflicts in the workplace. During that time the boss and others in the organization attempted to work through the conflicts with that individual and find ways to meet that person’s needs, while maintaining peace in the workplace and accomplishing the goals of the organization. Unfortunately the individual eventually decided to leave the organization. When they made that decision, the boss and others attempted to convince the individual to stay and to continue attempting to work through the issues. But the person declined and left anyway.
That was ok, except that once the individual left they then began to bitterly complain to others that they had been “driven out” and “forced to leave” – which was of course, untrue. From that point forward the individual went to great lengths at every opportunity to try to portray themselves as a victim of unfair treatment.
Assuming a victim mentality can often be attractive because it relieves us of personal responsibility for the choices we have made. And therefore of course, the consequences of those choices are then not our fault either. In their book “Boundaries” Henry Cloud and John Townsend caution us against crossing the boundary out of personal responsibility and into the realm of the “victim mentality”. When we go there, we have in effect disowned personal responsibility for our choices and we’re attempting to lay the blame at the feet of others.
In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul tells us that one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit which should be evident in the lives of Christians is “self-control”. To have self-control implies personal responsibility. We realize and acknowledge that we do in fact have control over our choices and we are then responsible for them. A mature Christian faith allows no room for blaming others or for living as a victim. We own our choices – and the consequences of them as well.
There is a clear boundary in play here. It’s a line which separates personal responsibility/self-control/mature faith, from life as a victim. We do have to take personal responsibility for our choices.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 