The Pain Of Irresponsibility

Psalms 15:1-5 ¹ LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? ² He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. ³ He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. ⁴ In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. ⁵ He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Life is filled with struggles.  There are those struggling with health issues.  There are those struggling through political issues.  There those struggling through ethical issues.  Job was right when he said, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14.1). 

While there are those troubles that are completely out of our control, just as in the case of Job.  There are a great many troubles that we bring upon ourselves.  Sometimes these might be troubles resulting from a lack of foresight or understanding, but often they are troubles of outright decisive choice.  In these obstinate cases they might be referred to as the result of irresponsibility.  A desire to be irresponsible is the source of a great deal of the suffering we feel in life and in our culture. 

Today, in America, we face great financial uncertainty, and for many this has resulted in a form of suffering.  Yet, when examined closely a lack of responsibility is the root cause of the much of what is occurring in American finances.  People entered into mortgage agreements with financial institutions.  When the value of houses slipped away many of these people realized that they owed more on their homes than their homes were now worth.  For many of these contracts the homeowner simply decided that they would rather let their homes go back to the lending institution than pay a mortgage that would cost them more than their home is now worth.  These people are going back on the word that they gave when they entered into their mortgage contract. 

There is another side to this responsibility issue.  The lending institutions who entered into these mortgages were irresponsible when they fail to ensure that these homes were really worth what people were paying for these homes.  Hence, their failure to responsibly hold a true and equitable standard is now holding them undeniably responsible.  The current financial struggle in our American economy is evidence that irresponsibility will one day inevitably find its balance and when it does it usually hurts. 

This is a real life example of the inevitable outcome of irresponsibility.  The problem we face in our American culture today is that Americans have become largely irresponsible.  We are irresponsible in our sexual discipline and integrity and abortion is the result.  I believe that Abortion is more about responsibility than it is about choice.  We are irresponsible in our chemical discipline and addictions are the result.  We are irresponsible in our moral disciplines and our values have diminished if not nearly disappeared.  Another way to express our moral irresponsibility is to say that right has become wrong and wrong has become right. 

Irresponsibility will always end in suffering and pain.  It is as Bible says, “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out” (Num 32.23).  Sin will always take you farther than you want to go.  Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay.  Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.  Are you a person of your word?  America needs responsible citizens. 

P.S.  I am far from a financial advisor and may be completely wrong about the financial crisis in America.  However I believe I am right on the mark when it come to the irresponsibility that permeates our American culture today.

September 30, 2008

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