The world is full of irresponsible people, people who make messes they don’t clean up and people who create debts they don’t pay. They’re the ones who say that they’re going to do something and they don’t do it. They’re inconsistent, they always have excuses, they complain, they don’t recognize their mistakes, they blame others and they are never responsible for anything.  I imagine that you know, work, or even live with some irresponsible people. The truth is that we can find irresponsible people everywhere except in the mirror. Irresponsibility is one of those traits that are easy to see in others but not in ourselves. But the truth is that irresponsibility exists in every one of us.

Every time we act in an irresponsible manner someone else has to clean up the mess or pay the debt. But the dirty little secret about irresponsibility is that it’s really not my fault. I got into a loan I’m not able to pay, it’s the lender’s fault. I got into a fight with my spouse, it’s my spouses’ fault. My child is not doing well in school, it’s the teacher’s fault. I arrived late, it’s because there was too much traffic. Since an irresponsible person by nature can’t assume responsibility for their irresponsibility, the only choice they have left is to blame others. And, where there is blame there’s is conflict. 

In the beginning, God created mankind, blessed them and gave them responsibilities. But they both acted irresponsibly and God questioned them: 

The Lord God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten fruit from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “It’s the fault of the woman you put here with me. She gave me some fruit from the tree. And I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me. That’s why I ate the fruit.” – Genesis 3: 11-13 NIRV

Adam blamed God and his wife and Eve blamed the serpent. And thus, the origins of the conflict. Now imagine how different the world would be today if Adam or Eve had said. “It’s my fault, I may not be 100% guilty but I am 100% responsible for my actions.” Imagine how different your world would be if instead of asking, who me, you assumed responsibility for your actions.