You cannot make choices for others.

And if your heart has been broken by an abusive parent or a rebellious child or an ex-spouse, that might be what you need to hear.

You are not responsible for the decisions of others.

You shouldn’t take responsibility for someone else’s sins, but you are able to choose your response. You are, in fact, a choice architect. 

One great, freeing biblical truth is that you are not responsible for ANY decision anyone makes, but you are RESPONSIBLE for your response! 

RESPONSIBILITY is a combination of two words: RESPONSE and ABILITY. You have the ABILITY to RESPOND to anything correctly and biblically and godly.

You are not a victim of circumstances. 

You are a victim of your RESPONSES to your circumstances.

If you are in a position of leadership, engineering opportunities is part of your portfolio. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a parent or a coach or a manager or a pastor. One well-timed compliment can open the door and let the future in. One nudge in the right direction can change a someone's direction for eternity.

You don’t need to put undue pressure on yourself—don’t worry about missing opportunities or making mistakes. God is the God of second chances, and third and fourth and hundredth. But when the Spirit gives you a nudge, obey it. 

I remember sitting in Hebrew class with Dr. Kenneth Barker (the General Editor of the New International Version and the NIV Study Bible). We were translating the Book of Jonah from the original Hebrew and we came to Jonah 3:1:

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:” (Jonah 3:1, NIV)

Dr. Barker paused in class, wiped his brow and tear from his eye, and said, "Young people, we should be glad that the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. And in my case a third and fourth time..." 

• Aren't you glad for the grace of God?
• In light of that, why should we be judgmental toward anyone?

Rejoicing, On the Victory Side!

Beau