It is still your responsibility

Nearly every day we hear excuses.  All of us have made excuses at some point.  Excuses are easy and convenient.  However, excuses are also dangerous and can have eternal consequences.  In Luke 14:15-24 we learn that God does not accept our excuses. 

Jesus illustrates this truth in the parable of the great feast.  One by one, people made excuses in an attempt to justify turning down the master’s dinner invitation.  Those who rejected the invitation were ultimately rejected by the master.  This parable illustrates the sobering reality about excuses: God finds them unacceptable!  The truth of the matter is that excuses usually only satisfy those who give them. 

​We use excuses in an attempt to justify being less than who God has called us to be.  We say things like, “I would be more but my family is dysfunctional.”  “I would be generous but I don’t make enough money.”  But if God calls us to it, then God is going to equip us for it and provide what we need to accomplish His will.

We use excuses to say no to God.  We allow jobs, school, parents, busy schedules, children, and a host of other distractions keep us from participating in ministry.  We say we are too young or too old.  Although God is calling us to greater, we are content with average.  We will even twist His word to justify sin. 

We also use excuses to minimize our failures.  We have a “Yea…but” problem.  “Yea, I know I should have studied for the test, but…”  “Yea, I know I should be at Bible class, but…”  Yea, I know I said I would do this, but…” 

We use excuses to justify our sins.  “I would not have said that if you wouldn’t have made me mad.”  “At least all I’m doing is watching porn.”  “We need to do something before we get married to make sure we are compatible.”  “We’re living together to see if marriage is going to work for us.”  “I lied in order to protect you.”  “What I did wasn’t that wrong, it’s not like I’m out there killing people.” 

​As long as we make excuses we will never make a change.  We must come to a point where we quit making excuses and start making a change.  We need to take responsibility for ourselves.  Realize that although it may not be your fault, it is still your responsibility.  It’s not your fault that you got knocked down, but it is your responsibility to get up.  It’s not your fault that you were born into the family in which you were born, but it is your responsibility to make the most of the opportunities that you have been given.  We should all strive to live a life of no excuses!