4. Public Responsibility Begins with Personal Responsibility

World Scripture

If anyone sincerely considers the affairs of the world as their own personal responsibilities, they should start by righting the wrongs of the ruler’s mind. If they wish to right the ruler’s mind they should start with themselves.
Chu Hsi (Confucianism)

The ancients who wished to manifest their clear character to the world would first bring order to their states. Those who wished to bring order to their states would first regulate their families. Those who wished to regulate their families would first cultivate their personal lives. Those who wished to cultivate their personal lives would first rectify their minds. Those who wished to rectify their minds would first make their wills sincere… From the Emperor down to the common people, all must regard cultivation of the personal life as the root or foundation. There is never a case when the root is in disorder and yet the branches are in order.
The Great Learning (Confucianism)

Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God’s church?
1 Timothy 3.2-5

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

People who do not love their nation cannot love God. Those who do not love their parents cannot love their nation. Further, those who do not love themselves cannot love their parents. Therefore, to be able to love your parents, love your nation, love the world, and love God, you must first love yourself. That is why I teach, “Before you desire to have dominion over the universe, you must first have dominion over yourself.” You have to first establish that foundation in yourself to be a subject partner who can embody and give boundless love. Otherwise you are not adequate to love your family, your nation or the world; neither can you perfectly love God. That is what is meant by fully loving yourself.
(22:97-98, January 26, 1969)

If you become responsible for an area, then you have to believe that all the hardship and struggle is your own, and without you, matters would not be resolved. You must be responsible for it all by yourself.
(14:259, January 1, 1965)

Be a man who can respect his own character. You should be able to hold your head high before all things, knowing that they respect you. Then you can say, “Follow my example.”
(Way of God’s Will 2.2)