On our journey to learning about Kingdom Parenting, I’ve discovered that one of the things that is necessary in becoming Kingdom Parents is to take responsibility.
Life teaches us how to take responsibility in many ways. For example, Parents learn how to take responsibility for their children by providing for their needs like food, clothing and shelter. Students learn how to take responsibility by making sure that they do their homework and assignments. Working adults learn how to take responsibility by ensuring the completion and success of assignments and tasks given to them in their workplace or department.
I believe that Kingdom Parents Ought to Take Responsibility. I’m using the word Ought because I want to establish that there is a duty and obligation that Kingdom Parents have to take responsibility.
The duty and obligation that I’m referring to is not the source of why we do things but merely a byproduct of God’s love for us.
1 John 3:16 (NIV) says:
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Our duty and obligation comes from an overflow of the love we received from Jesus Christ.
It is because of what He did for us, that we Ought to do the same for our brothers and sisters.
God’s word reminds us that we love because He loved us first.
1 John 4:19 (NIV) that says:
“19 We love because he first loved us.”
You might be wondering, what is it I’m supposed to take responsibility for?
Well, I don’t have a specific answer for you. But what I do have for you is a question that you can ask yourself and bring to God in prayer:
How have you been using your Time, Talents and Treasures?
When I think about what I Ought to be responsible for, I think about what God has blessed me with. I think about who God has brought into my life and the opportunities that have been presented to me. I think about the Love I’ve received from the Father and I think about the care I received from the Family of Lifespring.
I found myself thinking, I Ought to take responsibility for the time that God has given me, for the talents in which God has blessed me with, and for the treasures God asked me to steward well.
I Ought to take responsibility for sharing all the wisdom and knowledge that has been poured into me by others to help people who are in need.
At Lifespring, we have many opportunities in this house to help those in need like the refugees in Turkey, the 415 community and even those we know in the Family who are in need of care and support.
I pray that as we learn to grow as Kingdom Parents, that we Ought to Take Responsibility for the things that God has given us and help those who are in need. May we continue to genuinely love God and genuinely care for others.
As 1 John 3:18 says:
“18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”