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Accepting Other Responsibilities

Accepting Other Responsibilities. In two previous lessons, we considered the questions: “If ‘someone’ dies in a lost condition, who is responsible?” And, “If ‘someone’ is not growing and maturing spiritually, who is responsible?”

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Accepting Other Responsibilities

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  1. Accepting Other Responsibilities In two previous lessons, we considered the questions: “If ‘someone’ dies in a lost condition, who is responsible?” And, “If ‘someone’ is not growing and maturing spiritually, who is responsible?” Let’s think about one more question along these lines, and then we’re done with this theme: “If ‘someone’ doesn’t get along well with others, who is responsible?”

  2. Accepting Other Responsibilities There is a comedian who has made what I assume to be a lot of money identifying characteristics of a particular group of people with a series of statements, which, if found to be familiar, classify you as a “Redneck.” Such as: • “If your front porch collapses and kills three or more dogs, you might be a Redneck.” Or, • “If the phrase, ‘Go jiggle the handle’ is spoken in your house, you might be a Redneck.”

  3. Accepting Other Responsibilities In similar fashion, try these: • “If you are the best (or only) friend you’ve ever had, you might have a problem getting along with others.” • “If you prefer animals to other people, but the animals prefer to just be alone over your company, you might have a problem getting along with others.” • “If you are the kind of person that only (or not even) a mother could love, you might have a problem getting along with others.” And, one more: • “If you are the only consistent feature in all of your dissatisfying relationships, you might have a problem getting along with others.” Now let’s get a little more serious with this topic…

  4. “If ‘someone’ doesn’t get along with others, who is responsible?” Certainly not God. He has given us the perfect guide regarding how we are to treat one another in: • Fellowship relations, Col.3:12-17 • Marriage relations, Col.3:18-19; (Eph.5:25-32; 1Pet.3:1-12) • Parent/Child relations, Col.3:20-21 • Business relations, Col.3:22 – 4:1 • Outside relations, Col.4:5-6 If we can’t get along with others in these areas, we can’t blame God (and are probably not doing what He said). Accepting Other Responsibilities

  5. “If ‘someone’ doesn’t get along with others, who is responsible?” It might be others through their attitudes and activities. There are indeed a lot of unfriendly, sour, disgruntled, and generally discourteous people in the world. So, the dispositions and habits of others may make it difficult for you to get along with them. But: • God forewarned us about this, 1Pet.4:1-5 • He also told us what to do about it, Matt.7:12; Rom.12:14-21 • So, either be more mindful of your associations, 2Cor.6:14-15 • Or, influence and/or convert them, Matt.5:16; Acts 16:23-34 Others may indeed be hard to get along with, but God has told us/you what to do then also. Accepting Other Responsibilities

  6. “If ‘someone’ doesn’t get along with others, who is responsible?” It probably is ME!Am I being the kind of person who offers something besides selfishness and conceit to a relationship? Am I manifesting proper attitudes of genuine concern, compassion, loyalty, and trustworthiness that are essential to any lasting and mutually pleasing relationship? Consider a couple of translations of Prov.18:24in this regard: • “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” KJV • “There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” RSV • “A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” NASV OnlyIcan controlmyattitude and conduct in a relationship.Ican allowothers to influence me, but onlyIcan determine mydisposition and input (action or reaction). Accepting Other Responsibilities

  7. “If ‘someone’ doesn’t get along with others, who is responsible?” • It can’t be God, for He has given the information we need, 2Pet.1:3. • It might be others, but I can either change my associations, or I can change the associates. • It probably is me not being the kind of person God told me to be, or feeling and acting the way God told me to feel and act. Two things are sure, I have to do the right things in all of my associations and relations, Matt.5:44-48; and Being the kind of friend to others that Jesus is to me the key, Phil.2:1-8! Accepting Other Responsibilities

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