The lesson covered Ezekiel 34 (among other chapters) wherein is a metaphor given by the Lord. The Lord talks of His people in terms of shepherds and sheep and seemingly blames the shepherds not only for their own actions (in not feeding the sheep) but also for the consequent actions of the sheep as well. He describes the sheep as being "scattered" (v. 12) which to me means that they have fallen away from the Lord's true gospel and teachings and have become worldly.
I found this story interesting, because the Lord never once blames the sheep for becoming scattered, yet surely people are responsible for their own actions. It makes me wonder, then, whether others can't also be (at least partially) responsible for one person's actions. Certainly United States law (and I imagine other countries' laws as well) take the actions of others into consideration, yet it has been my experience that many people (especially members of my church) believe very strong in the idea of personal responsibility and vehemently argue that the only person responsible for Person A's actions is Person A. I have to admit here that I have never been able to believe that, because I can't help but feel responsible when someone I know does something bad.
It was while thinking on this that I was reading an article that mentioned the fact that Christ took upon himself the sins of all other people. Then it hit me. Christ is quite literally the perfect example of social responsibility. He, the only sinless person to ever live, took upon himself the sins of every other person who has ever lived, who does live, and who will ever live. He endeavored with everything He was to make Himself responsible for all the bad things that anyone has ever done and will ever do. He said, "Let me be responsible for Person A's actions, not Person A." He was arguably the only person who has ever lived and will ever live who could truthfully say that He is not responsible for anyone else's failings. But He wants to be. The culminating act of His life was an attempt to make that statement untrue.
Which makes me think about people today, including myself. I personally am reticent to admit responsibility for another's actions. They're their own person and should be able to take care of themselves, right? (Don't get me wrong, I can't help but feel guilty, but that doesn't mean I like to. I have enough of my own problems that I don't really want to feel responsible for others' as well.) Yet if I am serious about being Christlike, and I certainly try to be, being responsible for others' actions (or at least striving to be) is exactly what I should be doing.
