Have you ever wondered what you’re responsible for? At work, at home, at school, in any group or organization we’re part of, everyone has a part. Even a newborn baby has a responsibility—to make their needs known. In case their parents forget, the good Lord gave infants the ability to cry, and even wail if necessary, to get someone’s attention!

As we grow, our capabilities grow, and along with that, our responsibilities increase. In other words, capable = responsible.

In any situation, for any need, if we can’t do something, don’t. Don’t even worry about what we can’t do or can’t control. Leave, ask, or delegate that to someone who can.

But there’s always something we can do. What we can– do. That’s the part we “own”. We’re held responsible because we are.

This doesn’t have to be just a negative, threat-kind-of thing. Yes, failure to do our part can result in major harm to others, the team, the organization, and ourselves. We will be held accountable.

But there’s a positive side to responsibility—Empowerment. With ownership comes authority. We have the green light to do whatever we need to, in the way we know is right. We can change the course of history, at least our own group’s history. We can impact society for good.

This happens at every level, not just at the “top”. This empowering responsibility means someone is allowing us to decide and do whatever we’re capable of. Sometimes that someone is us– allowing ourselves to  step out courageously to get it done, despite the risk of failure.

Even if we’re at the “bottom” of the organizational leadership structure, we’re capable of doing something, according to our skills and talents. We can either discount that and say, “nothing I do or don’t do matters”, or we can accept that we’re responsible as far as we’re capable.

Those that do the former cause their leaders, teammates, and fellow group members a lot of headaches due to their lack of motivation and initiative. It’s where expressions such as “dead weight” and “not pulling their own weight” come from.

It’s also where something goes missing, resulting in harm to whoever or whatever needed that done. Consider the implications of someone not:

  • Screwing a bolt tightly onto a part in an airplane engine because it’s “just a menial task”
  • Greeting a newcomer because “anyone can do that”
  • Doing what they can to help with what seems like a “useless project”, because it’s “not my job”.
  • Writing a message to their congressional representative because “what good can one message do?”

On the other hand, those who look for and act on ways to do what they can when they can, take the weight off of others’ shoulders and minds. Leaders and mates all appreciate them for that. We can and need to be those people. The ones who:

  • Keep the engine from malfunctioning and the plane from going down because we tightened all the screws.
  • Make the newcomer feel welcome and valuable so they don’t leave, or worse yet, give up on living altogether because “no one cares if I’m there”.
  • Protect and/or improve the company’s reputation by doing what others were unable and/or unwilling to, because that project really does matter.
  • Change the mind of the representative who listens to what we (and others) say, and votes differently as a result, (perhaps) changing the total vote on a decision that will greatly impact the entire country.

Those who act on and develop what we’re capable of, receive greater responsibility, along with growth in capability. This greater responsibility may come in the form of an official promotion and higher position. Or, if not, or not right away, others will recognize our faithfulness in being responsible according to our gifts and abilities.

Along with that comes trust. People know that we’re truly “responsible”—someone they can entrust needs and assignments to. Someone who won’t “drop the ball” or leave it just sitting there!

“’Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…’” Lk. 16:10

This applies to all of us, no matter the amount or “significance” of our capability. For example, I, a non-muscular, older-middle-aged, woman, helped put together a large gaga-ball pit last Sat. on our church’s property. It was during youth group, which I help lead, and our stronger youth hadn’t shown up yet. So 5 smaller youth, my husband, and myself did it—picked up, carried, held in place, lifted up and fitted large, heavy boards one into the next, until we got it done. Slower. Harder. But we got it done because each of us accepted responsibility for doing what we could.

Now, imagine what each of us could do with our actual strengths!

Those of us who acknowledge the Source of all abilities, responsibilities, and recognition, we can rejoice and thank Him for all that. Yet, at the same time, we have a higher goal—to become “conformed to the image [character] of Christ”(Rom. 8:29, brackets mine)– to glorify Him and serve others.

At the same time, don’t confuse responsibility with “not allowed to get help”. Responsible people know when, how, and who to ask for help to get the desired outcome. That’s called great leadership.

Surgeons have assistants to hand them the instruments for a successful operation. Soccer/futbol strikers have someone passing them the ball the right way at the right moment to score the goal. CEOs have boards. Pilots have co-pilots. Ministry leaders have staff and volunteers.

Those who assist have people who facilitate that assistance. That’s called a great team. A group of capable people, each recognized for their capabilities, knowing what they’re responsible for, and doing it for the sake of the whole team. No matter what position we’re in, if we’re capable, we’re responsible.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…” 1 Pet. 4:10

What will you do today that you’re capable of and responsible for? Do what we can, how we can, where we can, for the greater good and for His glory!