Resonsibility = Self Respect
June 15, 2009
Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden,
man has had to labor for everything, except sin.
~Joel McDurmon
We need to resign ourselves to the fact that everyday brings more work. You can complain about it, you can even run away from it, but it does not change that fact that there is work to be done. So it is up to you if you are going to embrace it with determination, or flee from it and fall into poverty (physically and/or emotionally).
If we buy into the thinking that someone owes us something, or that we are above doing menial task, then we have given way to pride and laziness, two things God hates; two things that bring misery to anyone.
When giving your children responsibilities and they insist on saying, "I can’t", but you know it is more like they ‘won’t', you encourage them that they can!!!
Once you are sure they are truly capable of the task, assign a consequence if they continue in their laziness. Perhaps they may need more instructions as how to do the task, but once that is gone over, persevere in your parenting. You are training habits for a lifetime.
If you allow your children to be slackers in the home, rest assure, they will be slackers in the adult world, in their jobs and probably in their relationships.
In a culture that is so hung up on building self-esteem, why do we have so many people with no self worth? Perhaps it is time to deny ourselves, as Jesus told us to, and take responsibility for ourselves and to help others.
When we realize that our life is not about us being ‘all we can be’, and is about loving and serving others, THEN our self-respect can begin. When we realize that no one owes us anything, then we can start to labor for what we need. This applies on a personal level, a family level and a national level.
Responsibility builds self-respect and respect from others.
"No verse of Scripture yields its meaning to lazy people."
- A.W. Pink
Topics: Responsibility | 2 Comments »
Comments (2)
[...] light of yesterday’s post about Responsibility and not letting our children, or ourselves, make excuses that they "can’t" do what [...]
Honestly, this is a great lesson for me & something I struggle with. I have never been a well disciplined person, and tend to procrastinate everything. It is a sad thing to teach your kids & a tough habit to break! I catch myself thinking: “I can’t get after them for not making their beds if mine is unmade.” And, instead of making my bed, I just don’t say anything to them about theirs. No, our home is not always a mess, but I do tend to do things in spurts instead of being consistent. I want better for my kids than the stress such bad habits put on me. I am also guilty of doing their work for them because it’s easier for me at the moment ~ my own mom ALWAYS did this, which is probably a large part of my issues now (not to blame Mom!). She’d even come over to wash my dishes for me (the chore I hate the most) when I was first married & didn’t have a dishwasher. Nowadays, my husband & children load & unload the dishwasher… I only have one bowl left & am forced to eat my breakfast from the smallest Pyrex nesting bowl. One of the many prices I pay for my own laziness! Thanks for the exhortation!! I need it!