Responsibility is a hard thing

In teaching through Galatians, the relentless theme of “freedom” has reminded me of the enormity of the concept. Kids often misunderstand it as, “I can do whatever I want,” as they approach the magical ages of 16, 18 and 21. But as a 16-year-old, my driver’s license mostly facilitated my work, and my wages primarily went to gas, insurance, and body work. At 18, my first act was to register for the draft during the waning days of the Viet Nam war. By 21, 

I was alone in Dallas, a hungry, homesick college student. Ah, freedom! 

There are delights to greater levels of self-determination, but the responsibility, the freedom to do right, is ever before us. The rewards of freedom come most often to those willing to do hard things. 

Marriage is a basic, hard thing in life—the delightful, challenging work of getting along with someone we usually don’t understand. Compromise is hard, forgiveness is hard, and unselfishness is the hardest thing of all.  

We looked forward to being parents with no idea of what it would require of us. It’s exhausting, expensive and potentially heartbreaking whether you work hard at training your kids or just slack off. I’ll say also that it is marvelous and I recommend it highly—it’s what grownups do—but it leaves a mark on every aspect of your life. 

We are church members also. A church is a collection of people you didn’t pick who frustrate and bless in a manner similar to your blood family. If your blood family has no irregular people, be assured your spiritual family will. Because Baptist churches are congregational, my freedom in Christ gives me the responsibility to know my brothers and sisters, to be aware of the issues of my church, and to behave as an engaged and caring church member. It takes time and can be depleting. 

My church is Southern Baptist and affiliated with two state conventions. Freedom and responsibilities require that we care about the affairs of our denomination. We have responsibilities to know the issues and participate in the business of our state conventions and national convention. The freedom to do that comes with responsibility and impacts our global outreach.

I am a citizen of my community, state and nation. I vote on those three levels and am thus a part of a deliberative body asked to make decisions about taxes and leadership. My freedom to do what few in the history of the world have been allowed to do is a responsibility to vote based on my convictions and knowledge. Knowing and voting is a “hard thing” to those overwhelmed by political debate. 

I am a child of God, the grateful recipient of undeserved mercy, enabled to do hard things by freedom in Christ. Yes, freedom in Christ is freedom from sin and freedom from the penalty of eternal death; but it is also the gifting of work only appropriate for mature men and women, along with the power to do that work. This narrow gate is the doorway to joy unattainable in any other way. 

Do the hard work of marriage and parenthood. Love your wife and disciple your children, though it will cost you more than you started with. This is a gift that follows your freedom in Christ. It comes with sufficient power, and it will leave scars you won’t mind having, in retrospect.

Do the hard things associated with church life and Baptist polity. They bear on the spiritual well-being of those around you and of those whose faces you won’t see this side of heaven. I’m alarmed at the number of people who are comfortable saying “no” to serving their churches. Sometimes you should, but some say it too often. 

Be a godly and engaged citizen Christian. Turn off the TV long enough to read about the issues in local and national government. Know your Christian convictions. Vote your Christian convictions. It won’t take all that much time, but it evidently takes more than many citizens currently give. 

I also know that no one can or even should give the same level of energy to all these hard things. Some men build great churches but neglect their wives and kids. Others are so focused at home that they say “no” to things they should do at church. Political involvement can take attention God meant you to give to your family or church. I have discovered that some phases of life call us to focus on different things. Perhaps the “empty nest” stage of life is one where we can focus on things we simply couldn’t or shouldn’t while discipling minor children. 

Keep your priorities in line, then. Love your wife and give yourself sacrificially to her. Teach your kids right and godly things even if it means you have no “me time” or sleep. Do these things if it costs you in other areas. But this first human priority is not in competition with your fellowship with the family of God. Being a good churchman is part of what we teach our wives and kids. Surely being an usher or teacher on Sunday morning or attending a business conference is not going to cripple your family life. 

Voting, reading a newspaper article and praying about your nation are the most basic level of civic engagement. It may be that this most basic level is appropriate for you, rather than one more time consuming. If 10 percent more Christians did that much, it would change the face of American politics. 

Embracing freedom in Christ means that we are welcomed into spiritual adulthood, as in Galatians 4:1-7. We are now entrusted with difficult and important things. That’s a grownup version of freedom that can revolutionize families, churches and communities.