THE WORLD OWES YOU NO APOLOGY

DATE: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2025

Embracing Personal Responsibility in a Challenging Age

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION:

• TEXT: Proverbs 6:6-11 (KJV)

6: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8: Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9: How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10: Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

MESSAGE:The Uncompromising Reality: Nobody Owes You Anything

In a world filled with countless voices and competing philosophies, it is easy to fall into the trap of entitlement. We live in a culture that often encourages us to believe that we are owed something by society, by our government, or even by other people. But the uncompromising reality, as famously stated by American actress Katharine Hepburn, is that “Nobody owes anybody anything.” This is a stark, challenging, and ultimately liberating truth. It is up to each individual to set high goals for himself or herself and to set about working and creating a solid future.

This is the central theme that echoes through our biblical text today. The book of Proverbs, a treasury of divine wisdom, commands us to go to the ant, consider her ways, and be wise (Proverbs 6:6). The ant is a masterclass in self-reliance, diligence, and foresight. It has no external “guide, overseer, or ruler” (Proverbs 6:7) to motivate it, yet it instinctively provides her meat in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest (Proverbs 6:8). The ant doesn’t wait for permission or depend on a benevolent system to give it what it needs. It works tirelessly, leveraging the opportunities of the moment to secure its future.

This divine instruction, combined with Katharine Hepburn’s sentiment, challenges us to discard the victim mentality and embrace a spirit of personal responsibility. The world, indeed, does not owe you an apology because it did not create you. Your life, your potential, and your destiny are not in the hands of a cold, indifferent world, but in the hands of a loving God who has empowered you to create a future for yourself.

The Antidote to Laziness: Tenacity and Hard Work

The modern world is filled with distractions and temptations that breed what the Bible calls a “sluggard.” The sluggard is characterized by a spirit of procrastination, a love for comfort, and a passive acceptance of their circumstances. The Proverb asks a piercing question: “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?” (Proverbs 6:9).

The ant’s response is a living rebuke to this laziness. It works, and it works, and it works. The ant is small, but through its tireless work ethic and unwavering determination, it achieves a kind of greatness that belies its size. This is the essence of what Louis Pasteur, the brilliant French chemist, discovered and lived by. He told a group of students, “Let me tell you the secret that led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.” He understood that extraordinary results are often the product of ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination.

This is a lesson for us all, especially as we navigate the second half of 2025. The words: high goals, tenacity, hard work, and determination must be daily staples in our lives if we are to leave a lasting mark on our generation. You and your family are destined for greatness, but that greatness can only be reached with an extraordinary will and an unwavering commitment to seeing your goals through.

Seeing Tomorrow Despite Perilous Times

The second half of 2025 presents its own unique set of challenges. We are in the midst of global economic tensions, as evidenced by the USA and China counter-tariffs. We are living in what the Bible calls “perilous times” (2 Timothy 3:1). In such times, it is easy to become paralyzed by fear, to sit down and lament our fate. But this is the path of the sluggard, the path to which the Proverb warns: “So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man” (Proverbs 6:11). Poverty and want will not be a slow, gradual decline; they will arrive suddenly and violently, like a seasoned traveler or an armed robber.

The antidote to this paralysis is not to deny reality, but to keep seeing tomorrow despite the perilous times of this world. It is about having a vision that is so compelling that it outweighs the present difficulties. A vision for a better future, a hope rooted in the promises of God, and a determination to work towards that future regardless of the chaos around you.

Remember, the world does not owe you an apology. Your failure or your success is in your hands, not in the hands of external forces. The belief that your life is controlled by “village witches” or malevolent spirits is a lie that breeds a spirit of passivity and excuses you from the hard work of taking personal responsibility. While the spiritual realm is real, the believer in Christ has been given authority over all powers of darkness (Luke 10:19). Our failure is not a product of external curses but often a result of internal choices.

The Challenge of the Modern Era: Don’t Give Up

The world, and indeed your generation, will not forgive you if you fail. This is not a cruel statement but a call to accountability. Every individual has a unique contribution to make, a destiny to fulfill, and a legacy to leave. To fail is to deny the world of that unique gift.

Louis Pasteur made it. He left a legacy of scientific discovery that continues to save lives today. His secret was tenacity. His strength was his unwillingness to give up. He saw a future where disease could be understood and conquered, and he worked tirelessly to make that future a reality. In the same way, you and your family have a destiny to fulfill. You have a contribution to make. And you have a legacy to leave.

You can make it. You can reach the top. You can leave a mark on the sandprints of your generation. But you must hold on and hold out. You must embrace the hard work, the tenacity, and the determination of the ant. You must have an extraordinary will to succeed, regardless of the obstacles in your path. That biting problem or obstacle should not be a roadblock; it should be a stepping stone.

The Foundation of All Success: Trust and Obey

The prayer points for today are a powerful reminder that our human effort is not enough on its own. We must combine our tenacity with a deep reliance on God’s power. The song “Trust and Obey” reminds us that there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey. Our hard work is an act of obedience, and our trust is the spiritual foundation that sustains our efforts.

We pray: “Lord, let all stones of failure and stagnation, be rolled away from my life forever in Jesus name.” This prayer acknowledges that there may be spiritual obstacles, but it is also a declaration of faith in a God who is a stone-roller and a way-maker.

And we pray: “My light shall shine, whether the devil likes it or not.” This is a bold declaration of our identity in Christ. We are the light of the world, and our purpose is to shine brightly. The devil, who is the prince of darkness, will try to extinguish our light, but his efforts are in vain because our light is not our own; it is Christ’s.

As you go out today, always remember that this world, with all its challenges and difficulties, is the arena for your success. It is not an obstacle to be overcome but an opportunity to be seized. Do not waste a single moment lamenting your fate. Get up, get to work, and with the help of the Holy Spirit and a tenacity forged in Christ, you will make it.