Greetings to you, dear friends, on the pages of „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”!Our God is good, and He has left us His message of love – the Word of God. And I am grateful to God that today we can draw power and wisdom from this message. Today I would like to begin discussion on a very important topic – “Responsibility as a Key to Success”. God desires His children to be responsible. God Himself is responsible; He keeps His word and His promises. So, why is it important to be a responsible person?One of the reasons is that the level of authority and power is directly related to how responsible you are. Even if you seem to have authority with people, but you treat life lightly, it is highly probable that soon enough you will lose your standing with people. And it applies to all settings: whether it is church, family, business or individuals. Responsibility, success and authority – all these phenomena are closely related. You cannot be successful and irresponsible at the same time.Would you like to have authority with people around you? Would you like to have authority as a father or a mother in your family? Would you like to have authority as a leader? Then pay attention to what you are reading here, because we are talking about the basis of all authority.In December of 1999 I was praying and thanking God for all the things He had entrusted me: my family, church, ministry and other things. Suddenly the Holy Spirit started telling me that if I do not take responsibility for these things, I can lose them. I understood beyond a shadow of a doubt that if church does not take full responsibility for the land, then other spiritual powers can take the land.When we take responsibility for God’s blessings, we secure them for our lives. Bible is full of examples that illustrate this principle:
- Adam lost his authority and gave the land to the devil because he did not take full responsibility for the things God entrusted him (Genesis, 3:22-24).
- Saul lost his throne because of his irresponsibility and David who was very responsible replaced him (1 Samuel, 16:1-13).
- Judas Iscariot lost his apostleship because of his irresponsibility and his place was taken by another man (Acts, 1:15-25).
Not that long ago we discussed the parable of Jesus about the talents. Let’s look at this parable one more time.
«For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away» (Mathew, 25:14-29).
In this parable we find a phrase „he who has”. Who is it? Based on the context, „he who has” is any individual who takes responsibility for his life and for the things God has given him. A responsible person is disciplined, diligent and obedient, ready to pay the price. Consequently, „he who does not have” is lazy, wicked and irresponsible; the one who does not gain but wastes his life and everything entrusted to him.In this parable Jesus makes a particular conclusion:
irresponsible people always lose what they have or have been given, and responsible people have and gain.Responsible people use what they have (even if other people consider it to be small and insignificant), and through it they gain and receive a reward from the Lord. Irresponsible people lose even what they have had, and the only thing they receive is reproach and poverty. God’s blessing and promotion belongs to responsible people. This parable is the proof of it.Think about how you treat the things that have been given to you: your life, family, children, parents, friends, church, ministry etc. Do you want for God to bless and promote you? If your answer is yes, then take responsibility for the things that have been entrusted to you!God bless you on this wonderful day!Till tomorrow!Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
