Duties and Responsibilities

The phrase civic duty has been rolling around in my head for a few days and I realized I don’t have a precise definition attached to it.  So I looked it up and, turns out, I’ve mentally mingled civic duty and civic responsibility. They are close but not the same.  Duties are legally enforceable and vary with each state.  Paying taxes and obeying laws are civic duties.  Responsibilities are necessary for civil society, but not legally enforceable.  Serving on juries, voting, volunteering in the community, helping our neighbors are civic responsibilities.

Which naturally got me to thinking about Christian duties and responsibilities and the slightly jolting thought that neither word necessarily applies.  Kingdom citizenship is chosen, not inborn.  Jesus chose us, one and all, but we choose him back in becoming his disciples.  The daily choice to do as Christ is freely accepted or declined.  The grace of God persists when we are true to him, and when we are not.  It’s not grace but justice hanging in the balance.

Insofar as life in Christ includes either duty or responsibility, I’ve no doubt it has to do with justice.  Like two margins on a page, bringing the contours of life this side of heaven into line with the kingdom life Jesus described over and over again.  A life where people live at peace not through strength of law, but by the law of love.  By the law of love, all people are regarded fairly and with kindness.  For the sake of love, all people are helped to live in safety and in peace.  By the law of love, enough to eat and a decent place to live are simply human rights.  And so much more, of course.  Human dignity and safety . . . equality and respect . . . .

We might call them duty and responsibility or, simply, the ordinary ways of life among those who choose to follow Christ.

~ peace & prayers,
pastor annette