As the Denver Seminary leaders handed well-earned degrees to countless grads yesterday, with only one grad important to the Millers—son-in-law, Ricardo, who received a Master of Divinity. Congrats, Ricky!—my mind wandered.
But after a while, I picked up on a phrase employed repetitively:
“We now confer this degree upon you and with it all of the RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES … ”
Hearing these words, questions filled my mind: Have we lost the second “R” word? Do RIGHTS trump RESPONSIBILITIES?
For the privilege of living in the greatest country in the world, aren’t there some things I am RESPONSIBLE for?
You know, stuff like:
- Pounding the pavement till I find work.
- Providing for my family.
- Adapting to the changing economy by learning new skills.
- Modeling for my children a strong work ethic.
- Taking ownership of my financial situation.
- Fending off the entitlement/victim thinking narrative that the media, politicians, and special-interest groups push every day?
And this:
Accepting 100% PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY for my life rather than blaming my “family of origin,” employer, Wall Street, or the government?
Wouldn’t asking accountable questions (we call them “QBQs”) such as, “How can I contribute?” and “What can I do to be my best?” beat lousy questions like, “Why don’t I ever get a break?” and “When am I gonna get more free stuff?”
I do believe so … but that’s just my opinion. 🙂
What’s your opinion?
Any examples of the “R” word—RESPONSIBILITIES—come to your mind that you’d like to share here? Jump right in!
