Whose Responsibility?

Responsibility.  The dictionary defines it as having a duty to deal with something, or being accountable for something.  A doctor  I saw at the end of last year defined it as "the ability to respond", and that there are some times when I do not have the ability to respond to a certain issue that someone else does, and in this case it's important to realise it is not my responsibility, and instead to focus on those things that I do have the ability to respond to. Ouch.  

Why is that I have such a deep sense of responsibility?  As a Christian, God gives me all sorts of commands in His Word.  I want to obey these commands not because I am religious, I'm not, but because I love Him and I want to please Him in the way that I live my life.   Somehow I think I interpret some of these commands as 'having a duty to deal with' various issues for others, ie. needing to take responsibility for them, even though that's not what I actively think at the time.  

I think I want to be like the Good Samaritan and go the extra mile, but the problem is that it's often to my own detriment.  As Christians I think we so often have the view that our own needs are not important at all.  

It's true that we shouldn't be focusing on ourselves and only seeking to meet our own needs, but at the same time if we don't look after our own needs, we can't help others meet theirs.  And if we don't allow God to minister to us, how can we effectively minister the way He would have us minister to them?  I'm not sure of a Bible passage that talks about this off the top of my head - I'll go away and do some investigating.  

Yes, I should be taking responsibility for my own actions, however, the way that others respond to my actions is their choice, I am not responsible for the way they feel and their actions.  I do not have to deal with this on their behalf, in fact, I'm gypping them if I do because I'm taking away their opportunity to learn to respond to the issue and deal with it.

Sometimes what Jesus said offended people.  OK, he was Jesus and He was perfect, I'm not, however, I guess there may be times that something God leads me to do or say might offend others.  Jesus sought to do His Father's Will, and I need to do the same.

Wow, that was a tough blog - lots more pondering yet to be done on this one!