Responsibility

Two scenes:

In the first, I am living generations ago, and the quietness is rather intense. News travels by train, and by the time it arrives and is generated into distributable means, it is often weeks old. Not many pictures or sense of reality. Not much responsibility...for not much news.

In the second, I sit down at the table and turn on the TV. I am immediately projected into the Japanese countryside, to the horrific reality of perhaps thousands of people killed, radioactive leakage, missing persons, political awkwardness. Potential impact on the west coast. And while this is streaming at me - varied voices, hundreds of images, live interviews - several other streams of information are going simultaneously across the screen.

I feel waves of sadness, and the food just doesn't taste as good.

Am I responsible...and how?

I finally go to my study and scribble down some principles:
1. I am responsible for what God speaks to me about. The conviction of His Spirit, not just the information streamed at me, should be my measure. And I should pray and listen. When I see something that stirs me, I should make that a matter of prayer and potential action.

2. I should get in the habit of doing something about some things, and not in the habit of doing nothing about everything. There is not enough at my disposal to change the world, but there is enough at my disposal to change the lives of many.

3. I am especially responsible to my Family...natural, community, faith.

4. I am called to be a steward - to give thanks for His provision, and to make sure that it is managed in ways that bless others...avoiding gluttony, lavishness etc.

Responsible....
response to the prompts of God's Spirit as I am able.