Chaplain’s thoughts … Be Responsible

One thing I enjoy doing during my paucity of free time is to sit down and enjoy a good Netflix series. So in an effort to unwind, I sat down to enjoy a recently released documentary called Meltdown: Three Mile Island. Some of you may be wondering, “What is that?” The Three Mile Island nuclear accident was a partial meltdown that occurred in 1979 in Pennsylvania. While this is the historical context of the documentary, that is not what grabbed my eye. You see, in the series we’re introduced to U.S. Navy Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, who is regarded by many as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy,” who helped create the Navy’s first nuclear-powered submarine, the Nautilus. Interestingly, Admiral Rickover also holds the record as the longest-serving naval officer with 63 years of military service. One can surmise that with this record, one should take heed to what this man had to say. One of those statements is expressed in the documentary and it really captured my attention, “be responsible.”

Now in the grand scheme of things, the context of this phrase was uttered to the nuclear community. Here in our Air Force however, we’re not submerged under the oceans in submarines powered by nuclear reactors. The mantra of “be responsible” may not carry the significance of its original audience. However, the application of this simple statement can remain poignant and relevant. This is the question that I challenge you to consider, what can ‘be responsible’ mean to you? In my faith tradition, the Parable of the Talents (coins) tells the story of a servant entrusted with five talents, who is responsible and gains five more talents. In the end, the master replies, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things … ” (Matthew 25:21, NIV). The message of responsibility is an important one. The charge to be responsible ensures the safety of each other, and also may lead to greater opportunities. Thus, in every decision you make, make it a responsible one.

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