Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Responsibility
My wife says that I have a way in my questioning that can intimidate people, especially if they have "wronged" me in some ways. I used to laugh at the idea. After all, I am just a big lovable teddy bear, right?? Well, I guess sometimes my wife can be more objective than me after all. I do intimidate people sometimes with the way I question them.
The last instance was yesterday. I was looking for my design book. I remembered that two of the assistants in my office was borrowing it when they were designing posters for an event two months ago. I thought I just asked in plain, normal tone and language. However, my question suddenly put them on the defensive. They just started blaming each other without even looking for the book in their desk first.
Whoa... what happened there? I was just asking.. no need for all that rancor.
And the bad thing was, their reaction was what set me off. I don't care about the book as much as I care about their attitude. If the book was lost, I can buy it again no matter how expensive it was. However, if their attitude was that way, then I begin to question their integrity.
By questioning their attitude, I am questioning my own attitude, too. Do I also have that tendency? Maybe I am not blaming people but there are so many other things that I can blame every time I make a mistake. The weather, the company, the system, et cetera et cetera.
If taking responsibility for our own faults is very difficult, how about taking responsibility for others? Our instinct just screamed "NOOO IT IS NOT MY FAULT" every time something bad happens. It is our instinct to protect ourselves. If we who loves ourselves wouldn't take responsibility for our faults then who would? Who loves us even more than we love ourselves?
I tell you who: Jesus.
Wasn't it him who take upon the Cross for our sins almost two thousand years ago?
He is certainly not a black sheep that can be blamed for all our sins. He is our savior. He take upon the cross with his own free will. And through that, he has given an example of love for you and me!
An example of love! By taking responsibility for our sins!
That means we are to follow his example. And the first step would be to actually learn how to take responsibility for our own actions, no matter how difficult it is. Just imagine, aren't you more willing to forgive and help someone who has taken responsibility of his/her faults bravely? I think the same is with God. Yes he has forgiven us. But in order for us to be able to accept his forgiveness, we have to be able to forgive ourselves. How can we forgive ourselves if we always pointing blame to others while inwardly we know that we are at fault?
Yes it is hard to take that responsibility, however know this, often we are the ones who make it hard on ourselves. We forget that no matter what, our Eldest Brother is with us. He has carried the heaviest part of our Cross. Please, stop burdening ourselves unnecessarily by keep blaming others and by that, adding even more spiritual burden on ourselves. Rather, accept God's love and forgiveness every day. Take responsibility for your actions.
The last instance was yesterday. I was looking for my design book. I remembered that two of the assistants in my office was borrowing it when they were designing posters for an event two months ago. I thought I just asked in plain, normal tone and language. However, my question suddenly put them on the defensive. They just started blaming each other without even looking for the book in their desk first.
Whoa... what happened there? I was just asking.. no need for all that rancor.
And the bad thing was, their reaction was what set me off. I don't care about the book as much as I care about their attitude. If the book was lost, I can buy it again no matter how expensive it was. However, if their attitude was that way, then I begin to question their integrity.
By questioning their attitude, I am questioning my own attitude, too. Do I also have that tendency? Maybe I am not blaming people but there are so many other things that I can blame every time I make a mistake. The weather, the company, the system, et cetera et cetera.
If taking responsibility for our own faults is very difficult, how about taking responsibility for others? Our instinct just screamed "NOOO IT IS NOT MY FAULT" every time something bad happens. It is our instinct to protect ourselves. If we who loves ourselves wouldn't take responsibility for our faults then who would? Who loves us even more than we love ourselves?
I tell you who: Jesus.
Wasn't it him who take upon the Cross for our sins almost two thousand years ago?
He is certainly not a black sheep that can be blamed for all our sins. He is our savior. He take upon the cross with his own free will. And through that, he has given an example of love for you and me!
An example of love! By taking responsibility for our sins!
That means we are to follow his example. And the first step would be to actually learn how to take responsibility for our own actions, no matter how difficult it is. Just imagine, aren't you more willing to forgive and help someone who has taken responsibility of his/her faults bravely? I think the same is with God. Yes he has forgiven us. But in order for us to be able to accept his forgiveness, we have to be able to forgive ourselves. How can we forgive ourselves if we always pointing blame to others while inwardly we know that we are at fault?
Yes it is hard to take that responsibility, however know this, often we are the ones who make it hard on ourselves. We forget that no matter what, our Eldest Brother is with us. He has carried the heaviest part of our Cross. Please, stop burdening ourselves unnecessarily by keep blaming others and by that, adding even more spiritual burden on ourselves. Rather, accept God's love and forgiveness every day. Take responsibility for your actions.
# posted by indra : 4:33 PM
