Personal Responsibility

By Paul Chappell

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 18:31–33

When Dr. Richard Halverson was the U.S. Senate chaplain, he spoke before a group of Christians who were irritated that Congress had not acted with a strong initiative to restore prayer in schools. To this audience who were seeking greater initiative from the government, Dr. Halverson asked, "How many of you have prayed with your children this month, outside of church?" Not one member of the assembly raised his hand. The problem is not only in Washington or in our state capitals, but in our own hearts.

If Lot had been a faithful witness, the cities of Sodom and Gomorra would not have been destroyed. Abraham begged God for mercy, and God declared that if there were just ten righteous people in Sodom, He would spare the city. But Lot had failed to win even his own family, and as a result judgment fell. While there is much wrong with our society, we must remember to personally choose to live for God and to accept the responsibility to lead our families in seeking God as well.

After John Quincy Adams was defeated for re-election as President, he became a member of the House of Representatives. There he worked for many years to end slavery in America. As he neared the end of his life, a friend asked if Adams was discouraged because he had not succeeded. Adams replied, “Duties are ours; results are God’s.” If you do what you should and can do, you can leave everything else in God’s hands.

Today's Rooted Principle:

Pray for change in your nation, but accept personal responsibility for yourself and your family.