Verse I Like:

Weekly Dose

There’s a steady insistence in Scripture that we must take responsibility.

You cannot delegate your moral burdens and then expect to dodge the just and fair consequences. We see this in our own lives. When we try to avoid problems, they usually grow, either in number or severity. It’s often best to face our fears, looking straight at what scares us most.

In doing so, we’re ready for it and realigning ourselves with the truth.

Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it disappear. Facing it acknowledges that it’s here until it’s dealt with.

The sooner we recognize this, the sooner we can address it and limit the damage. Don’t shirk responsibility that you know is yours to bear. Indecision is a decision.

Quotes I Like:

Mane Message

In the book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah the prophet tells Jerusalem that the Babylonians will surely take the city, and that the only safe path is to surrender and go to Babylon. These words are prophetic, from the Lord, and therefore true. Not anti-war propaganda.

The officials, however, hear treason. Because Jeremiah’s message is persuading people to defect for their own safety, they accuse him of undermining the nation. They want to hold the city.

The nobles go to the king—Zedekiah—and press for Jeremiah’s death. The king is clearly conflicted about killing a prophet, but he caves: “He is in your hands; the king can do nothing against you.” That’s not righteous judgment, it’s an abdication.

It is a total shirking of a firm decision that was the King’s responsibility to make. In effect, King Zedekiah says, “Do what you want—don’t make me own it.”

This same avoidance appears again when Zedekiah breaks the covenant with Babylon, believing he can dodge the consequences and rewrite his fate. His constant outsourcing of responsibility instead of acting on God’s word is the very thing that leads to his ruin.

Just as Jeremiah prophesied, Zedekiah stayed in the city, and was captured and tormented shortly thereafter.

What can we learn from this? Indecision is not neutral. Indecision is actually the decision to abdicate. You put your duties in the hands of another. Not a wise delegation, but a foolhardy abdication.

Once you shirk your responsibility, the risks certainly never go away; in fact, they usually compound. And in the end, it often brings disaster.

Who’s to say what might have happened had he owned his responsibility and obeyed God’s word with courage? Hopefully, we will learn from this mistake.

Framework Against Unjust Delegation

Name it: Say the problem out loud. No euphemisms allowed.

Own it: “This is my responsibility and it is on me to bear it.”

Do it: Take one costly step today (Make the call, set the meeting, take the risk, etc). I’m sure the results will surprise you.

Weekly Ponder

What hard action have I outsourced to another entity—whether it be a person, system or ideology—that I know deep in my conscious is mine to own?

If imprudent, wayward delay is a decision, what exactly am I deciding in hesitation?

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