You and I have a variety of great abilities. For some of us it’s the ability to do math; for others it’s the ability to fix computers or to sew. We all have abilities—even if at times we need others to point them out to us.

But do you know what one of your greatest abilities is?

Responsibility.

Responsibility is your ability to respond to life. It’s what makes you human, and it’s a gift from God. Much of your life hasn’t been in your control. You didn’t choose where you would be born. You didn’t choose who your parents would be or how they would raise you. You didn’t choose the unique gifts and talents you would bring into the world.

Responsibility is how you handle everything else. God has given you the freedom to respond to what comes your way. How you respond to what life throws at you impacts your life more than any other factor.

In fact, in many ways, life is a test of how we handle responsibility. We spend only a fraction of our lives on this side of eternity. God doesn’t care about our achievements while we’re here on earth. He cares about our character.

Our lives today are mere warm-up acts for what’s to come. God is testing your responsibility for what’s going to happen later on. God put you on this earth primarily for two reasons: to know him personally and to develop character.

We’ve seen a steep decrease in responsibility throughout our culture. Many in our world live by the motto, “I’m not responsible for anything. It’s not my fault.”

That view is in stark contrast with what the Bible says: “Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do” (Ephesians 5:15 Phillips).

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you know that he is the one who gives meaning in this life. You can live responsibly because you know you’re a steward of the life you’ve been given. Responsible people make the most of the life God has given them. 

How will you use the life you’ve been given?