Carry Your Monkey Well

We all have a monkey to carry. That monkey is the 10 core responsibilities that God has given each person. No one can carry your monkey for you. You can't carry someone elses monkey for them. Self esteem is the result of carrying your monkey. The world would be an awesome place if everyone would just carry their monkey. We wouldn't need many police. We wouldn't need half the courts we have. We wouldn't need half the jails we have. We wouldn't need half the politicians we have. And we would all prosper very well.

Here are the 10 Personal Responsibilities that Make Up Your Monkey.

1. Worship God in humility and with faith.  

You shall have no other gods before me.

                                                Exodus 20: 3

2. Don’t harm anybody.   

Love your neighbor as yourself.

                                                Matthew 22:39

3. Don’t harm yourself.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

                                                Matthew 22:39

4. Provide for your needs through work: food, clothing, shelter, transportation, health and education.

If a man will not will work, he shall not eat.

                                                II Thessalonians 3: 10

5. Fix what you break, clean what you dirty and make restitution for the harm that you cause.

When a man or woman wrongs another in any way…He must make full restitution…to the person he has wronged.

                                                Numbers 5: 5-7 

6. Avoid the sins of extreme behaviors in the areas of power & control, money & possessions, and comfort & pleasure.

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world…  

                                                I John 2: 16 (NKJV)

7. Serve your family, church, community, country and world.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.

                                                Ephesians 2:10

8. Do what you say you will do.

Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

                                                Matthew 5: 37

9. Don’t think, talk or act like a victim. This means don’t think, talk or act like your problems are caused by others (which ultimately means they are caused by God.)

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted with evil and does not tempt anyone…

                                                James 1: 13

10. Lead your children to become young adults who fulfill these responsibilities. 

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

                                                Ephesians 6:4

Take the Boundaries 101 Test

Individuation: You are You and Only You.

Biblical individuation is the process of seeing yourself as a separate and distinct person with your own value, responsibilities and purpose.

I.                    God created you with special and distinct value.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

                                                      Psalm 139: 13-16

II.                 God created you with a set of responsibilities for which He holds you, and only you, accountable.

God will give to each person according to what he has done.

                                          Psalm 62:12/ Romans 2:6

III.               God created you for a purpose that only you can fulfill.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

                                                      Ephesians 2:10

Test for Individuation

Answer:            Very Much              A Little                  Not So Much

                                3                          2                             1                  

1. How much does your personal sense of value come from belonging to a family or group where you want acceptance?                            

                                                               ________

2. How much do you measure your value through the successes and failures of your parents, spouse, children or friends?                       

                                                                ________

3. How much do you expect others to take care of your needs?

              ________

4. How much do you try to take care of the needs of others who should take care of themselves?

             ________

5. How much do you live through the goals and dreams of someone else?             

                                                            ________

6. Do you have strong personal goals? If not give yourself a 3. If you do but they are not written, give yourself a 2. If you have clear personal goals that are written down, give yourself a 1.

            ________

                        Total Score:                 ________

Results:

1.   15-18:        You have not individuated. Look out, boundary-less chaos ahead.

2.   10- 14:       You are individuating.  Keep on!

3.    6-9            You have individuated. Nice boundaries!

The Ten Principles for a Free, Just and Prosperous Society

As we work with Christian leaders in Haiti, Africa, India and other developing parts of the world, I know that we have to help them be influencers to shape their societies in the directions that we in the U.S. take for granted. They have to have and share a solid, integrated and biblically consistent view of how to create a good society. Christian leaders must have a strong and clear vision to present to these developing societies. Christian leaders can't leave a vacuum of thought in this area to secularists or other religious leaders. Christianity has historically been the best defender of these values that create great societies and we must continue that great heritage of blessing the world through a clear vision that serves everyone.

Toward that end, I have written a list of Ten Principles for a Free, Just and Prosperous Society to use as a template to train emerging Christian leaders around the world. They are also important for Christian leaders here in the West where our freedom, justice and prosperity is eroding.

Here they are. I hope you will pass it on.

The Ten Principles for a Free,

Just and Prosperous Society

1. Religious Freedom.

Each person is free to seek and worship God according to the dictates of his or her conscience.

2. Character.

Each person serves his or her neighbor by not abusing the extremes of power & control, money & possessions, and comfort & pleasure.

3. Creation.

Each person creates lasting prosperity by making wealth with his or her creative work instead of by taking wealth through aid, taxes, government programs, coercive groups or theft.

4. Ownership.

Each person is free to purchase and legally own land, houses, businesses, possessions and creative ideas without them being taken by government, excessive taxes and regulations, criminals or enemies.

5. Democracy.

Each person is free to have an equal voice in choosing the members of a government that is accountable and which has a balance of power.  

6. Free Speech.

Each person is free to say or publish what they think without falsely accusing or causing unjust harm to others.  

7. Free Association.

Each person is free to join and assemble in any civil, social, business, or religious association and each person is free from coercion to join any association.

8. Rule of Law.

Each person is held to the standard of obeying just laws and no person is above the law.

9. Just Courts.

Each person has access to a free and fair process of personal defense and grievance in the legal system.

10. Courage.

Each person is willing to die in a just cause to secure and keep freedom for themselves, their children and their succeeding generations.