When I was growing up I many times heard the saying; “If The Shoe Fits, Wear It.” This was something that my parents would say when they were trying to get me to admit something about myself that needed to be corrected. They already knew the shoe fit me, but they wanted me to acknowledge it. That developed in me the ability to admit I needed to improve on various things in my life. It showed me that I was not always right. Today we call that taking personal responsibility. The problem is that most of us hate to admit we are wrong.

In order to see if the shoe fits we must be open to the fact that we are responsible for thoughts and actions. There are consequences for wrong things said and done. The problem is, so many people want to justify their actions when they are wrong. They are convinced that they are right, when all they are doing is twisting the truth. It is convenient to blame these things on everything but ourselves. Taking personal responsibility for our lives is a sign of maturity.

1 Corinthians 13:11; “When I was a child , I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

As a consequence of not examining our thoughts and actions we do the same thing over, over, and over again and expect different results. With this mindset, we will insist that the reason for the same result is caused by someone or something else.

Matthew 12:37; Jesus said: “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Think the right thing, speak the right thing, do the right thing, and if you do not, you are condemning yourself.

There will always be those who think someone or something else is responsible for their failures. That is thinking with the mind of a child and they will never see if the shoe fits and then do something about it. There are others however, that will put the shoe on and start their journey. Those who will take personal responsibility and wear the shoes, will avoid many of the stones and thorns along the hi-way of life. Do not sell yourself short.

Psalms 139:14; “I will praise you Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

These are the everyday issues we address at the Gathering Place every Sunday morning at 9:30 and 10:30 and Wednesday evening at 7. Sunday evening at 6 we have youth group and Next Steps Recovery.