Today's Devotional

 

 February 10, 2009

                                                                                                                      

Subject:  It's On You Now 

Jeremiah 31:29-30 "In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.  But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge."

---

I may have mentioned "the quarter jar" before.  It's a policy we have in our household whereas if anyone is asked a question about something they did or said and if the response affixes the blame to anyone else rather than yourself, a quarter is placed in a large pickle jar that sits on the counter.  It's our tool to get the children, even though it works for us adults too, to learn personal responsibility.

I thought about the quarter jar last night as I listened to President Obama talk about the financial crisis and the economic stimulus package that he is trying to get signed.  He would've had quite a few quarters in the jar.  Although he is now the Commander In Chief, he continually blamed President Bush for his eight years and his democratically-controlled congress from the last two years.  In what sounded more like a campaign speech, he blasted those who differed with him on the government's desire to spend close to a trillion dollars.  

The bottom line is that the President has to make the call.  I think we all know where we are now in the economic crisis and he should stop campaigning and simply say, we get to make the decisions because we won the election and then he should do what he thinks best.  After all, that's why the American people voted for him.  I don't think we want to continually hear about how bad the guys before him made it even if that's what he believes.

This is also the parallel for us as believers.  I hear a lot of my kids at school talk about how messed up their parents are and how their parents have impacted their lives negatively.  That is perhaps true, but personal responsibility can start today.

Whether you are the president or a wayward teen, we will all answer for our own actions.  Because of Jesus Christ, the blame game is over.  Now, "It's On You!!!"

Carlen