At a presbytery meeting, a person complained, "it is too hot here!" An elderly lady said, "people complain no matter what!" People complain either its too hot or too cold. When people are in an uncomfortable or inconvenient situation, they blame somebody or complain about something. It seems that people are born to blame somebody and complain about something. Parents complain that their kids do not listen to them. Children complain that their parents do not understand them. Older generations complain that younger ones have gone too far from their good traditions. Younger generations complain that older ones are out of date. Sick people complain about the shortage of doctors. Medical practitioners complain about their heavy workloads. These lists go on and on. Then who's gonna be responsible?
According to statistics, there are always more than 10% of people who don't like you or are against you, no matter what you do or do not do. The problem is not how to figure out who are the 10% or why they do that? The real matter is that the 10% of people are not the same type of people all the time. The opponents change depending on the situation and how to deal with them. If you believe that it is not your fault but obviously theirs, yet they are still against and oppose you, then what shall you do? As a minister, I have been associating with people, and I know it is not a simple matter to figure out who owns a problem and how to deal with it. The good news is that people can change and transform when they really want to change. Until then, who is gonna be responsible? Do you have to wait for their change and do they have to wait until they realize their faults and change?
Nowadays, we see more profoundly than ever before that our society has many factions that are defended in the name of political correctness and a modern definition of personal liberty. People talk about tolerance, inclusiveness, openness, grey areas, diversity and individual freedoms and rights more than ever before in the entire human history. As a result, it seems that more people are enjoying their own individual freedoms and rights than anytime before. In many ways, this does make a lot of sense. But on the other hand it is hard to understand and does not make any sense that why more and more people than ever before are in trouble and having problems in many ways, physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually as well. Again, who's gonna be responsible?
Unfortunately many kinds of social movements nowadays that happen in the name of human liberty and rights force each individual to pay their own price. Not only does each individual have to pay their own price to enjoy their own liberty and rights but also they are responsible for all the consequences of their own choices as well. Freedom without responsibility is debauchment. Rights without restrictions are self-indulgence. Eventually dissoluteness and self-indulgence lead into self-destruction, like drug addiction, alcoholism or smoking. Who's gonna be responsible? If all the consequences of each one's freedoms and rights are completely theirs, then what is the benefit of human liberty and rights for those who are not able to control themselves? God calls everyone and anyone as God's children regardless of who, what and how old they are. The children need someone's guide, protection, help and support in order to learn and grow. Let us learn wisdom and knowledge from the word of God. "The word of God is a lamp to my feet and a light of my path" (Psalm 119:105). As long as we use our freedoms and rights to follow the way of God, God will be responsible for all our consequences.
