Responsibility

Question: I've been thinking about responsibility and I wonder if you could comment about responsibility in our interpersonal relationships? And how does that relate to our spiritual growth - in our connection with God as well?

Answer: Your responsibility is to yourself, to other mortal creatures, to your Thought Adjuster, to the
Supreme, to the Ultimate. Your responsibility is to do what you can to fulfill your potential, but the foundation for this question lies in your own will, your own choice of what you want to do. No one can make you shoulder the burden of responsibility. You are given the free-choice will to do as you wish. Your Thought Adjuster leads you, guides you, and wants you to make the right choices. And once you have made the supreme decision to do the will of The Father, then your responsibility lies to yourself. The Supreme will eventually get all your painstakingly earned experiential values whether you choose to survive or not. The Thought Adjuster is, and will always be, eternal, but you, yourself, the responsibility for you to become a Finaliter, rests only on yourself. None other.

Question: So responsibility is something that as we accept it, we are given more opportunity to accept more
and more. Is that correct? (Yes) And there seems to be a direct connection from the assumption of responsibility to our own spiritual growth - from what you say?

Answer: Yes, not only the assuming of responsibility but in actually realizing what you have assumed.

Question: I read in the Urantia Book today that the I AM is ultimately the responsible entity in the Universe, where the buck stops - as we say - the buck stops here at the I AM. So in striving to be more like The Father, among other things, we would want to strive to assume these responsibilities that are brought to us?

Answer: Yes. In one sense in a cosmic way The Father is responsible for everything for he is the First Source and Center from which everything sprang. But when He gave you free will, think about all of this, He is letting you be a creator also. You are a co-creator and as a co-creator of your soul, you must assume some responsibility for that, also.

Abraham: To keep to oneself perhaps in isolation or fear is such a sorrowful experience on the mortal path. You give not, therefore you receive not. To believe you need to only care for yourself is spiritually stifling and lonely. To feel a responsibility to your fellows well-being gives one great purpose and required spiritual experience.

The youth look at life with carefree eyes. They worry not about raising a family, paying bills, or even where their future may be headed. They truly are indebted to no one, but they are solely focused on themselves, not all youth mind you, but some, and even in this experience there is value. There are many thoughtful young people who tend to ill parents or younger siblings, but many youth have not thought for those around them. This is natural. The story changes however when they become parents. They are more likely to take care of themselves so they can give to their children. They live not the risky life they had before.

Do you see how personally ministering to others brings fruit to your own lives? To feel responsible for the well-being of the whole is a servant of God. If you are responsible for more than just yourselves, are you not more likely to make decisions that benefit the whole and not just yourself? Many fear personal ministry because they believe that it is a task too great for them, too much of a burden perhaps.

If you ponder the life of the Master you see that there was no burden too great for Him to bear. His love for His fellows made it an honor to minister — not an imposition. Jesus lived the perfected mortal life. He was
with excellent balance mentally, physically and spiritually. He mastered self-forgetfulness, but was tended to in every way. He looked at every man as His brother and every woman as His sister. He made time for everyone. The material things of life were secondary, but even in this Father saw to His material well-being. He felt a duty to uphold His fellows, and in this He was in the midst of Father Himself.

Every mortal has particular gifts, whether it is the gift of compassionate speech, healing, or by other means, every mortal has gifts. They may not be recognized, but most definitely is every one person good at something concerning giving to the whole, personally ministering, yes. Each one of you varies in the gifts and your added or combined assistance brings balance; it brings healing. Maybe you are gifted at helping to promote faith, or perhaps you are good at being encouraging to others. All of us add to the well of
spiritual goodness that serves the whole, quenches the thirst with the living waters. To force your gifts on others in personal ministry is not what I am speaking of, no, but to be there for others, even when it is
inconvenient to you is what we are speaking of when we discuss personal ministry.

God gave you one another. When taking responsibility for one anothers well-being, you have God. You bring out the best in one another, if you so choose. Mortals were not meant to be alone. Your experience together is required to advance spiritual levels. How awesome is our Father, that even with these recent events, He helps us to transcend our points of separation, race, gender, social status and religion, yes.

On worlds settled in Light and Life, for a mother to look upon a playground full of children she feels equal amounts of love for each child. A community who witnesses a family tragedy feels it is their own tragedy, and steps in immediately to assist. Your sorrow is my sorrow. Your joy is my joy.

This week think about your responsibility to your fellows. Journal how ministering to them brings you spiritual fruits or advancement. How does ministering to the whole minister to you? In long periods of isolation who are you solely focused on? Out amongst your fellows is there self-forgetfulness?