Are we taking responsibility for our words and actions? Are we taking responsibility for others? Really? Are we supposed to take responsibility for others? God gave Moses all the things to teach His people for their good. God told Moses about the right foods to eat, to take a bath, to dispose of their waste correctly, not to handle dead things, about disease and how to protect their community from the spread of it, sex, how they were to provide for and treat the poor, the stranger, the widow, and their brethren; how they were to respond to authority, God’s authority. God left nothing out that His people would need to keep His people safe and provided for to live in peace with each other. Then He sent His only begotten Son. There are many scriptures on these very responsibilities but I think Isaiah 58:6-10 gives a good summary:
Isaiah 58:6-10 Is this not the fast I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then Your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then You shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as noonday.
Where is our focus today? Are we more focused on how God says to treat others or how the world says to treat others. Once my daughter was encouraged by one of her friends to treat another friend badly. I pulled my daughter aside and told her that not only was it wrong but that the one encouraging her to treat her other friend badly would turn on her the same way at some point. In fact it didn’t take long for my daughter to come to me surprised to tell me that friend had treated her the same way. We need to walk in God’s way no matter what another tells us. Those who fall away would have lead us astray. We pray for them and keep praying that we may stay on God’s paths for we are all one step from the ditch.
Lord, lead us in Your paths of righteousness for Your names sake. In Jesus name amen
