4 So he [Abraham] went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”
[Genesis 16:4&5]
For a long time, I was always wondering why Sarah would have the guts to blame Abraham for the negative change in the attitude of Hagar after Hagar conceived; since the idea came from Sarah and not Abraham. However, after reading certain provisions in the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) and the Ghana Authority Act, 2009 (Act 791) among others, I caught the revelation about Ultimate Responsibility.
Let me quote section 14(3) of the GRA Act to drive the point home. It says, “The Commissioner-General may delegate a function to an Officer of the Authority but is not relieved from ultimate responsibility for the performance of the delegated function” (Emphasis supplied). Same is the case for the relevant Ministers, Chief Directors and Principal Spending Officers in Act 921. Ultimate responsibility is now codified. The heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) bear ultimate responsibility. So is the case for CEOs, both in the Public and Private Sectors.
In the case of Abraham, Sarah didn’t force him to sleep with the maid. Abraham could have refused to do as Sarah suggested. If he chose to obey and the result has gone bad, he has himself to blame. He was the one God called. He was the one God was always speaking to. He was more spiritual. He was the carrier of the vision. He didn’t have any excuses.
Same was the case of Adam. God said they shouldn’t eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (People say it was apple, others say it was sexual intercourse, Bible didn’t say any of these. That’s another discussion for another day). When the woman ate the fruit, nothing happened. (Another theory is that the snake slept with Eve and gave birth to Cain. That’s also for another day). However, immediately Adam ate the fruit, sin, sickness, death, violence and all the negative things we now so familiar with entered the world. We wouldn’t be talking about the First and Second World Wars, Ebola and COVID-19 Pandemic etc. but for that singular act of disobedience of Adam. Things will definitely change when Paradise is restored at the Second Coming. Until then, we have to use nose masks, sanitizers, social distancing etc. in the interim.
🌹Husbands, you bear ultimate responsibility for what happens in your home. If you restrict yourself to just paying school fees and providing chop money and the children go wayward, God will have a few questions for you on That Day. Remember the children bare your name in the first place. It’s not for nothing.
🌹 Wives, you’re ultimately responsible for your own happiness in the marriage. Some leave that responsibility entirely to the man. So, when he decides to make you happy, then you’re happy. The day he decides to stoke the fire and tighten the screws, you are in tears and want to literally die. Some even commit suicide or die too early. I’m not encouraging rebellion. I’m not saying you should neglect your home, children, husband and other marital duties in pursuit of happiness. You’re however ultimately responsible for own happiness. Let me leave the rest to you and God.
The Lord help us to face life with the greatest sense of ultimate responsibility. Amen
