THE EPITOME OF RESPONSIBILITY

We all have the potential to lead and influence. And that influence has been given various arenas in life for its application.  I believe in the phrase “every believer is a leader.” It doesn’t imply that there be  “all chiefs and no indians,” rather, that everyone has a range of fields in their lives where leadership and influence must be called upon and applied.

I believe this is the epitome of responsibly.  Responsibility is basically the leveraging of our ability to respond or call to action our facility to lead and influence.  I like to see it as “response-ability.” It’s there; it’s innate. It must be called upon and it must be executed.  And tough times are the best of times for response-ability to thrive.

We, as Christians, have “response-ability.” And to not apply it in life is to be irresponsible.  For it is the Spirit of Christ who lives in us, therefore, we are prewired in “response-ability.” I think that’s what the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said, “we can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength.” (Phil 4:13)

Jesus was and still is the most influential man in history. He was and still is the greatest… Although He had no servants, they called Him Master. Although he had no degree, yet they called him Teacher. He had no medicine, yet they called him Healer. He had no army, yet the greatest empire feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today! And if he lives in us, then influence and response-ability are qualities that come standard in us. Let’s be responsible.

Anxious to read your thoughts,

Pastor Manny

31 Comments

  1. Benjamin on July 1, 2010 at 1:06 PM

    I like how you say to be responsible we must put responsibility in our life. So if we are not responsible we are irresponsible. I think responsibility is the best trait anyone can have. That is one of the most powerful traits some one can have. I now see i need to take a stand, and apply responsibility in my life.



  2. Ruday Ichiban on July 1, 2010 at 2:09 PM

    This is a very encouraging blog here. I sometimes make the mistake of thinking that there is a certain way or capacity of leading. The problem is that my thinking on leadership was boxed in one way of doing it and this help me to realize that. Thanks for this encouraging blog.



  3. JC on July 1, 2010 at 2:59 PM

    It’s our responsibility to influence, touch, and impact our world, not vice versa- and up to us to carry out our faith through our actions in our everyday lives as examples to others.



    • AD on July 2, 2010 at 8:36 AM

      Very true. Without our ability to respond to our very nature (that is our new nature in Christ) would be unconscionable. The reason we choose to not take it to heart is directly related to the pain associated with it. We choose to do what we want to do and not our obligations. This is a simple sign of our lack of maturity. Only one who is mature chooses to take reponsiblity. What most dont realize is that pain always exists and it coaxes us into fruitfulness. So in short we choose which pain we want to endure; the pain of reponse and change, or the one of staying the same.



  4. mari on July 1, 2010 at 5:57 PM

    This blog has really hit home for me. To believe that God has given us the ability to respond is agreat way of looking at it. No task is to big since God has already equipped us with the right tools for us to be responsible.



  5. Manny on July 1, 2010 at 8:09 PM

    Thats a good one Pastor we all need to have responsibilty because we are in a world that it not going to gives us anything we want. we need to have more responsibility because it will help us learn how show others how to get to the next level.



  6. victor williams on July 1, 2010 at 9:43 PM

    Thanks for this reminder sir. On a sider note, Today as I reviewed my activities, and how I chose to catagorize my list of responsabilities, I’ve noticed a recuring trend of me trying to schedule a looong list of activities before I’ve sincerely asked God for his direction. I feel a little like King Saul at times. Trying to do a bunch of good things, without humbily seeking God first to determine not just what things are good for me to do, but rather doing the things that are best to do within a given time frams.
    P.s the group is a strong as its weekest link! ; Take care of Gods buisness first, and he i



  7. Jalina on July 1, 2010 at 11:07 PM

    Responsibility, it is an awesome Word, without it we are nothing. Every aspect of our lives evolve in one way or another on it. As minimal as getting out of bed in the morning, we do what we do because of the responsibilties we have. It is time that we all take our stand, we will be judge by how we handle what God has called us to be responsible for.



  8. Andrea on July 2, 2010 at 12:05 AM

    We are called to be the salt of the earth and one thing about salt, if add it anything it changes the flavor and if used properly it makes it better. We have to use our salt to show the world the flavor of heaven right here on the earth. We are Kingdom citizens not citizens of this world and we must be responsible to that uphold Kingdom standards.



  9. Cesare Murph on July 2, 2010 at 12:15 AM

    Amen! If He really lives in us then it is truly our responseability to show it, especially in our circles of influence because most non-believers will never read a bilble but they can read your life if the word is in you.



  10. La Quail on July 2, 2010 at 12:35 AM

    If I can only see my self as Jesus do , I understand the importance of responding to responsibility we have in or life’s , I’m a mother and the eldest of four to put those potentials with being a leader in church or around the way I can see it happening .



  11. katia on July 2, 2010 at 5:47 AM

    We all have different arenas of influence: none is too big or too small. We must know that we are called to influence, to make a difference in people’s lives, to affect this generation for the kingdom. Are we ready to respond to that?



  12. Jenny on July 2, 2010 at 7:27 AM

    Amen.

    In addition we have a responsibility to not abuse our ability to respond and lead. Our flesh can get in the way if we don’t crucify it daily and can lead us to think that it’s about US and getting people to do what WE want. That’s when it’s no longer responsibility, it becomes manipulation.



  13. April on July 2, 2010 at 9:59 AM

    There are times when we are all called to lead in something. With that I think comes the responsibility. Maybe it’s just acceptance of it.



  14. Simone on July 2, 2010 at 10:10 AM

    We all have the ability to influence and lead others; often times we forget that and begin to shy away from responsibility and anything that puts us in a place of influence because of fears of inadequacy. We must remember that we have the Holy Spirit and with that ALL things are possible. Thanks for the reminder!



  15. Philip on July 2, 2010 at 12:16 PM

    Most people dont like responsibility, they thinks its such a heavy burden and they cant manage it. We are all responsible in one way or another and it is our hands what we do on this earth with the time God has given us. We all have have influence so use it and dont backdown but be bold.



  16. Cindy Shappy on July 2, 2010 at 1:28 PM

    JESUS was and always will be the most influenctial man in history. Because HE lives today in
    and through us, He has given us the privilege and responsiibility to share his love with others
    and bring JESUS in their lives to help and guide them to find their destiny and purpsose for
    the KINGDOM OF GOD.



  17. Mel on July 2, 2010 at 2:45 PM

    It if our responsibility to learn from what He continues to teach us not only for us that we may follow but teach others and lead them.



  18. @ldo on July 2, 2010 at 4:04 PM

    It is true that everyone is a leader in some way or another. We have to be able to determine how and where our leadership is to be applied and respond to that.



  19. Joselyn on July 2, 2010 at 9:05 PM

    You are right pastor and like you’ve said before we should be responsible with the anointing we have…His presence in us.



  20. mario caceres on July 2, 2010 at 10:52 PM

    We all know that Jesus died in the cross for us and that He commanded us to tell people about Him. Now how are we going to respond to that, and of course what is our responsibility in this matter? Thats what matters the most! We have the power to influence any environment, because Jesus the greatest lives in us. So we can’t hold it anymore. And the leadership part comes with ownership and value, if you value your salvation then it shouldn’t be a problem to lead people to Jesus. After all, the Holy Spirit who who lives in them will take the responsibility to be with the new born believers anyways. It’s no time to fear, but to respond!



  21. Jahazyel Martin on July 3, 2010 at 11:15 AM

    Being responsible is walking by faith and accomplishing the plans and goals that Christ has for us. He has not called us to live a normal life. Let’s use Christ as our example and live a noncompromising life like him.



  22. LaShonda on July 3, 2010 at 11:43 AM

    Pastor I agree, let’s be responsible of what God has invested in us. I’m learning this prinicple in my personal life making the right choice and being responsible of what HE has giiven unto to me. Being responsible in seeking HIM.



  23. Stephen on July 3, 2010 at 4:55 PM

    We all influence someone, whether it be good or bad. It is our responsibility to show Christ to the people who look to us. I constantly have to check myself and ask, “Was that Christ Like”? I always want to be a good leader and steward of those that look up to me and even the ones that are on my level.



  24. Keller on July 3, 2010 at 10:43 PM

    As Christians we do have a great responsibility: we must be the answer (response) for a world that is crying out for a solution to their terminal illness.
    The only way we will fulfill this responsibility is by having influence and we gain influence by being different in accord to the Word of God, which bring us back to your point, it depends on our response-ability to His Word…



  25. Johnny on July 6, 2010 at 9:43 AM

    Dr. Evan Kane was the chief surgeon of Kane Summit Hospital in New York City. He had practiced his specialty for 37 years. Over the course of time he came to question the wisdom of using general anesthesia for every surgery. He believed people would recover quicker if they only had local anesthesia. However, no matter how convinced Dr. Kane was about his theory, he had one problem. No one wanted to go under his knife while they were awake. Everyone he talked to had the same fear. They didn’t want to feel the pain of the scalpel while they were awake during the surgery.

    After much searching, Kane finally found a willing subject. It helped that it was a relatively common procedure. According to Dr. Kane’s own records, during his practice he had performed around 4,000 appendectomies, so the procedure was almost second nature to him. The patient was prepped and brought into the operating room. The local anesthesia was carefully administered. As he had always done, he cut into the right side of the abdomen and entered the body cavity. He tied off the blood vessels, found the appendix, removed it, and finished by sewing the incision back up. To his own credit, he proved himself right. Throughout the surgery the patient felt very little discomfort. In fact, he was up and around the next afternoon, which was remarkable since this was back in 1921. Back then when people had appendectomies they were kept in the hospital from 6 to 8 days. It was a milestone in the world of medicine. However what made it particularly noteworthy was that the patient and the doctor were the same person. Dr. Kane operated on himself.
    What am I saying? People want to know that we have first been operated on before we try it on them. We must allow the word of God to operate us. Are we personally willing to step into the same arena of responsibility we are requiring from others? Are we willing to lead by example? I am learning that influence is not always do as I say but rather do as I do.



  26. GLENNA on July 6, 2010 at 5:03 PM

    Yes, each of one us who names the name of Christ has the ability, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to influence and touch others. We must never think that what we have to give is insignificant because “little becomes much when we place it in the Master’s hands”…our Master only requires that we be willing.



  27. Zayne on July 7, 2010 at 10:21 AM

    I like this blog because it tells us that we have a responsibility to to do what God sent us to do and if we don’t fulfill that we are being irresponsible to God.



  28. DMc on July 7, 2010 at 10:22 PM

    You said it very well. If we call anything else Good, then there has to be a new word to describe our Lord and Savior. For this reason I am ready to give my life when he calls.

    Our response-ability comes from him….and it’s our responsibility to carry the gospel to our local and global circles.



  29. Junior on July 10, 2010 at 7:06 PM

    That last paragraph has great truths I love it. I thank God that He prewired us but I also love that He still provides the Spirit of God to lead us into where God has destined us. He is such a great father that He would equip He children to overcome the world.



  30. gjstfhill on July 15, 2010 at 2:26 AM

    What an awesome God we serve! Good stuff, thanks for the encouraging words and for the words of wisdom.