One of the recent college football scandals caused a trememdous response on a local talk radio show. Many comments were made, but those of a young Marine stood out. His comment was pointed, “One thing I learned as a young Marine was accountability. There is a vast difference between responsibility and accountability. I was accountable to my fellow soldiers, my sergeant, and my country.” Wow! This young man said more in a few sentences than the other callers and hosts had said in hours. Can you imagine what kind of team you would have if every member took this to heart?
We all have ability that is God given. One famous self-promoter describes himself with the phrase, “Talent on loan from God.” You can be the judge of whether he has much or not, but we all have “talent on loan from God,” – i.e. ability. Some have more than others. The parable of the talents shows this with an illustration of three men. One had one talent, another two and still another, five (Matthew 25:15). Each one was given goods “to each according to his own ability.”(vs.15). While some wrongly boast of their ability, we should all be realistic and admit our abilities. Too many are like the one talent man, hiding the talent that he was given (Matthew 25:18). Fear of failure is no good excuse for one not using the ability that God has given. Under the guise of humility, some fail miserably in using their ability.
Each of these men was given a responsibility in keeping with their ability. They were stewards and thus responsible for taking the master’s money and using it to produce what they could. Responsibility always comes with ability. Notice our Lord’s statement in Luke 12:48, “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” In the home, the church, and society, we are responsible for doing our part. This was shown pointedly to the early church regarding their responsibility to give of their means, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him” (1 Cor. 16:2). The results of this principle put into practice is shown in 2 Cor. 8:15, “As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.” When all accept their responsibility, the need is always met.
But the part that is often left out in this is accountability. Joseph realized his accountability when he refused to lie with his Masters wife, saying, “…Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” He was accountable to his master who had put him in a place of great responsibility. We are accountable to our fellow man for our actions toward him. But above that, we are accountable to the almighty God who made us.
One does not have to admit his ability and can put all of the work on others. He may not take his responsibilities seriously. He can even deny responsibility toward his wife and children, his brethren, and live a carefree life. But being unwilling to be accountable will not prevent us from facing the ultimate and final act of accountability- Paul said, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12).
David Courington
Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Simeon Castille- Good Christian?
Why me? That seemed to sum up Simeon Castille's sentiments regarding his early morning arrest for disorderly conduct. According to an article on Al.com yesterday detailing what was in the police report, Castille was loudly cursing some people in an SUV, had traffic backed up with a crowd of about 200 looking on, and alcohol was involved. Yes, that's why you were arrested.
Ho-hum- Just what college kids do. Well, maybe, but not what "good Christian"s do(that is what his supportive teammate, John Parker Wilson called him while defending him.) Hmm- seems like I have heard of Mr. Wilson being arrested himself for DUI or something. No, I am not suggesting that Mr. Castille has yet reached the level of Michael Vick(as far as I know there were no dogs involved). But his behavior was anything but "good Christian" behavior. Paul said, "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."(Galatians 5:19-21).
Your character is not what your drinking buddies say about you. It is what your actions prove you to be. And make no mistake about it, character does count, at least in God's eyes.
Ho-hum- Just what college kids do. Well, maybe, but not what "good Christian"s do(that is what his supportive teammate, John Parker Wilson called him while defending him.) Hmm- seems like I have heard of Mr. Wilson being arrested himself for DUI or something. No, I am not suggesting that Mr. Castille has yet reached the level of Michael Vick(as far as I know there were no dogs involved). But his behavior was anything but "good Christian" behavior. Paul said, "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."(Galatians 5:19-21).
Your character is not what your drinking buddies say about you. It is what your actions prove you to be. And make no mistake about it, character does count, at least in God's eyes.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
100 Things- No. 26-35
26. I love cold weather. 9 straight days over 100 has made me realize this.
27. Susan and I have 9 acres of land at our house, but only use a very small portion. One day I hope to clear some and build a large pond.
28. I got my name in the "Soup Pot" in first grade for talking. Imagine that.
29. I am in my 30th year at Sylvan Springs(Maytown). What great folks to put up with me this long.
30. I'ver been thinking a lot about that new grandbaby(Lila if the ultrasound prediction was accurate.) She is due in October
31. My all-time favorite Bible teacher was Franklin Camp. I miss him.
32. My favorite instrumental music is bluegrass.
34. My favorite verse of scripture is 1 Cor. 10:13.
35. I can't stand raw cucumbers but I really like fried pickles.
27. Susan and I have 9 acres of land at our house, but only use a very small portion. One day I hope to clear some and build a large pond.
28. I got my name in the "Soup Pot" in first grade for talking. Imagine that.
29. I am in my 30th year at Sylvan Springs(Maytown). What great folks to put up with me this long.
30. I'ver been thinking a lot about that new grandbaby(Lila if the ultrasound prediction was accurate.) She is due in October
31. My all-time favorite Bible teacher was Franklin Camp. I miss him.
32. My favorite instrumental music is bluegrass.
34. My favorite verse of scripture is 1 Cor. 10:13.
35. I can't stand raw cucumbers but I really like fried pickles.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
CareTaker To CareGiver
You stand at bat ready to hit the fast balls, and life throws you a curve. That is life. I have anticipated many things that would happen to me in life- I knew when very young I wanted to get married, I wanted to be a father, and I knew the kids would leave home and I wanted to have grandkids. Though you prepare for these things, you get a few curves along the way. But I wonder if anyone prepares for the time when they go from "careTaker" to "careGiver". Being a "Caretaker" is when you take the care that you parents give you. My parents were marvelous at this. My Mom(Betty) was the greatest. I never lacked anything in the way of having an attentive mother. From simple care(food, clothing, shelter) to the deep love only a mother can show(always knowing she cared for me and loved me and she was and is my number one fan. Dad(Wayne) was a wonderful provider. The short framed steelworker with the green fireproof suit(They called him "Stump" at U.S. Steel where he was a "scarfer") was larger in my mind that in real life. Yes, he provided a good living for the family and when Mom was sick, we were never neglected. Both Mom and Dad were the finest of Christians. Dad was an elder in the church at Parrish and truly was of good report of those without(1 Tim 3:7)and within. I started life with a great reputation(undeserved) because of them. People today often tell me how good they have been to them, and I know it is true. They stuck with me through the teens, paid for my college and helped Susan and I in the early married years. I'll always remember how close our budget was that first couple of years of marriage and Mom and Dad(without being asked) paying off the loan we had taken out for our furniture. Boy was that a help. Yes, they were the care givers, above and beyond the call of duty.
Now I am trying to do a good job of what the Bible commands, repaying my parents(1 Tim. 5:4). This job of being a "careGiver"in the traditional sense of the term is not one I was prepared for. Dad now has late stage Alzheimer's(He was diagnosed nearly 8 years ago) and is in Cherry Hill Healthcare. He is actually doing quit well and better than I thought he could be 9 months ago when he was moved there. Mom is spending most of her time with us and she is doing quite well for her(She has suffered from severe depression off and on since I was very young.) She is getting a bit feeble. Today at lunch I was parking the car, having let her and Susan out near the door. Susan had already gone in and a man was setting with Mom on a bench outside trying to help her. She had fallen over the parking lot bumpers(they always stick out). Thankfully nothing was broken and she wasn't hurt badly. She did have a bruised knee, a cut on the other knee that was bleeding and another cut on her elbow. Long ago I started carrying a bandaid in my "George Costanza" billfold. I have given out so many bandaids! Today I luckily had 2 "Superman" bandaids- yes, Mom was always one of my super heroes. After cutting the hole in Mom's hose slightly larger so the bandaid could go on her knee, I found that it was just right for the small wound. She was able to go in and eat and is fine so far as I can tell.
Yes, I am a caregiver. In the course of the last few years, I have not only prepared medicine, put on bandaids, given baths to Dad, made no telling how many trips to doctors, etc. I know I haven't done nearly as much as some have to, but I won't tell you that the journey from "Caretaker" to "Care Giver" has been easy. Furthermore, I have no idea what is ahead. I know I still have a lot to learn, but I do have a few bits of advice that might help you other "caregivers" out there.
1. God will not put on you more than you can bear. There have been a times when I was very frustrated because I did not know how to proceed, but every time I have thought I was in a corner, with no way out, God has provided a way. (God Provides)
2. Having a good attitude yourself always helps. I have had to give myself many attitude adjustments along the way, and I am sure I will have to again, but the more you allow yourself to feel sorry for yourself, lash out at others for your troubles, and whine, the worse you feel and the less you can accomplish.
3. Appreciate the little things that are good in your situation. For example, 10 months ago Dad and Mom both fell. Mother recovered quickly but Dad was much worse that he had been for several months. He was overmedicated and now, as I said earlier, he is better. When we have walked in the door at the nursing home for the last month or so, he has had the biggest smile. No, he can't call anyone's name anymore, and often can hardly make a sentence(Addi broke our heart one day by saying, "You know Papa usted to know my name," but he can still smile. I have been told that one of the hardest things for families to take is that many Alzheimer's patients lose the ability to smile. Dad may too, but I am glad he has it now.
4. Take some time away from the situation occasionally. A recent vacation was so refreshing and sometimes a night out with Susan alone is the best of medicine.
5. Take time to be thankful everyday that you don't have to face life's curves alone. If not for a wonderful wife and above all, a marvelous God who is so good, none of us could make it. (I love to hear Levi sing "God is so Good.")
6. Don't be afraid to cry. Like most men, I try to do all of that in private, but sometimes it is a great release.
7. Don't forget to pray. God understands when no one else does.
8. Think occasionally about what your parents did for you. There is no way that I could every fully repay them for the care they gave me. I will always be in debt and if by some chance, I live long enough to repay them- I will still owe God so much for every day, every breath, that he has given me.
9. Seek expert advice from doctors, financial experts, social workers, and especially from those who have already travelled the road you are taking.
I will try to write some more later on this. Actually, I have thought of it several times, but this is the first time I have been able to bring myself to do it. May God bless all of those who are in transition from "Caretaker" To "Caregiver". DC
Now I am trying to do a good job of what the Bible commands, repaying my parents(1 Tim. 5:4). This job of being a "careGiver"in the traditional sense of the term is not one I was prepared for. Dad now has late stage Alzheimer's(He was diagnosed nearly 8 years ago) and is in Cherry Hill Healthcare. He is actually doing quit well and better than I thought he could be 9 months ago when he was moved there. Mom is spending most of her time with us and she is doing quite well for her(She has suffered from severe depression off and on since I was very young.) She is getting a bit feeble. Today at lunch I was parking the car, having let her and Susan out near the door. Susan had already gone in and a man was setting with Mom on a bench outside trying to help her. She had fallen over the parking lot bumpers(they always stick out). Thankfully nothing was broken and she wasn't hurt badly. She did have a bruised knee, a cut on the other knee that was bleeding and another cut on her elbow. Long ago I started carrying a bandaid in my "George Costanza" billfold. I have given out so many bandaids! Today I luckily had 2 "Superman" bandaids- yes, Mom was always one of my super heroes. After cutting the hole in Mom's hose slightly larger so the bandaid could go on her knee, I found that it was just right for the small wound. She was able to go in and eat and is fine so far as I can tell.
Yes, I am a caregiver. In the course of the last few years, I have not only prepared medicine, put on bandaids, given baths to Dad, made no telling how many trips to doctors, etc. I know I haven't done nearly as much as some have to, but I won't tell you that the journey from "Caretaker" to "Care Giver" has been easy. Furthermore, I have no idea what is ahead. I know I still have a lot to learn, but I do have a few bits of advice that might help you other "caregivers" out there.
1. God will not put on you more than you can bear. There have been a times when I was very frustrated because I did not know how to proceed, but every time I have thought I was in a corner, with no way out, God has provided a way. (God Provides)
2. Having a good attitude yourself always helps. I have had to give myself many attitude adjustments along the way, and I am sure I will have to again, but the more you allow yourself to feel sorry for yourself, lash out at others for your troubles, and whine, the worse you feel and the less you can accomplish.
3. Appreciate the little things that are good in your situation. For example, 10 months ago Dad and Mom both fell. Mother recovered quickly but Dad was much worse that he had been for several months. He was overmedicated and now, as I said earlier, he is better. When we have walked in the door at the nursing home for the last month or so, he has had the biggest smile. No, he can't call anyone's name anymore, and often can hardly make a sentence(Addi broke our heart one day by saying, "You know Papa usted to know my name," but he can still smile. I have been told that one of the hardest things for families to take is that many Alzheimer's patients lose the ability to smile. Dad may too, but I am glad he has it now.
4. Take some time away from the situation occasionally. A recent vacation was so refreshing and sometimes a night out with Susan alone is the best of medicine.
5. Take time to be thankful everyday that you don't have to face life's curves alone. If not for a wonderful wife and above all, a marvelous God who is so good, none of us could make it. (I love to hear Levi sing "God is so Good.")
6. Don't be afraid to cry. Like most men, I try to do all of that in private, but sometimes it is a great release.
7. Don't forget to pray. God understands when no one else does.
8. Think occasionally about what your parents did for you. There is no way that I could every fully repay them for the care they gave me. I will always be in debt and if by some chance, I live long enough to repay them- I will still owe God so much for every day, every breath, that he has given me.
9. Seek expert advice from doctors, financial experts, social workers, and especially from those who have already travelled the road you are taking.
I will try to write some more later on this. Actually, I have thought of it several times, but this is the first time I have been able to bring myself to do it. May God bless all of those who are in transition from "Caretaker" To "Caregiver". DC
Saturday, August 11, 2007
100 Things- No. 7-25
7. I like my son in law Paul very much in spite of the fact that Kim found him on the internet and that he likes to criticize my blog.(Now this is 3 of 7 that are about Paul, but he is such a remarkable fellow!)
8. I love being a gospel preacher.
9. I really love the folks at Sylvan Springs- they are really family, not just in word.
10. The Fish Market(Original) is my favorite restaurant.
11. The Fish Market(Gadsden) is my next favorite.(Or maybe Top of the River)
12. I like teaching adults, but my favorite is teaching teens- potential, potential, potential!
13. I especially like it when they get it and you can see it in their eyes.
14. My goal is to finish these 100 things before next year.
15. Indian Creek Youth Camp is a very special place to me- so many good memories and so much to look forward to.
16. This year was my 35th year to go to ICYC. I started in 1972 and missed one summer.
17. My least favorite people are those who point out problems but never solutions, at least not solutions that involve them working.
18. My favorite people are those who say "We need to..." and "I want to start working on it now."
19. I really want to revisit Tobago some day.
20. One of my best experiences as a teen was singing with the Anchors(We need to get together again)
21. Going to ACC-now Faulkner U. was a marvelous experience.
22. I met my wife and best friend for life at Faulkner and I was ga ga over her when we started dating.
23. Still am.
24. Going to Freed Hardeman was equally wonderful. I had some fantastic teachers at both places.
25. Wow. I am glad that I only have 75 more to go.
8. I love being a gospel preacher.
9. I really love the folks at Sylvan Springs- they are really family, not just in word.
10. The Fish Market(Original) is my favorite restaurant.
11. The Fish Market(Gadsden) is my next favorite.(Or maybe Top of the River)
12. I like teaching adults, but my favorite is teaching teens- potential, potential, potential!
13. I especially like it when they get it and you can see it in their eyes.
14. My goal is to finish these 100 things before next year.
15. Indian Creek Youth Camp is a very special place to me- so many good memories and so much to look forward to.
16. This year was my 35th year to go to ICYC. I started in 1972 and missed one summer.
17. My least favorite people are those who point out problems but never solutions, at least not solutions that involve them working.
18. My favorite people are those who say "We need to..." and "I want to start working on it now."
19. I really want to revisit Tobago some day.
20. One of my best experiences as a teen was singing with the Anchors(We need to get together again)
21. Going to ACC-now Faulkner U. was a marvelous experience.
22. I met my wife and best friend for life at Faulkner and I was ga ga over her when we started dating.
23. Still am.
24. Going to Freed Hardeman was equally wonderful. I had some fantastic teachers at both places.
25. Wow. I am glad that I only have 75 more to go.
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