Sheltered In Accountability
"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
We live in a world where accountability has become an extremely rare quality; from children being accountable to parents and their siblings, to people in the marketplace, churches and of course politics and government.
Although secretly viewed as a threat to our ego, accountability is the best defense mechanism one can adopt. If we are to be honest with ourselves, we would all acknowledge that we often mess up and regret doing a lot of things we do. Or at least, we wish we would have known then, what we know now, and have avoided a mistake or have done things differently or in a more clever, mature, efficient or beneficial manner.
Although secretly viewed as a threat to our ego, accountability is the best defense mechanism one can adopt. If we are to be honest with ourselves, we would all acknowledge that we often mess up and regret doing a lot of things we do. Or at least, we wish we would have known then, what we know now, and have avoided a mistake or have done things differently or in a more clever, mature, efficient or beneficial manner.
Scandals are everywhere. People demonize each other all the time. Sheltering oneself from this cruel environment is becoming more and more essential. Many blame the rampant expansion of social media, but I believe it has to do with the fallen world we live in and social media has simply put that which was hidden out in the open and everyone's gone crazy, outraged by all this blatantly violent and offensive social behavior.
I believe the recipe for prevention is simple: Accountability. If we all build in each of our social circles, spheres of accountability, things will be much easier and safer for us.
Although simple, this isn't easy; at least not for everyone. It has a lot to do with the way we are brought up. Some who've been disciplined from an early age to be accountable not only to parents but also to siblings, find it easier and more natural to adapt to such a habit and may even feel discomfort in the absence of it. But for those who have lived solo all their lives, to open up to others, seek advice, inform beforehand all they are to do is not always easy. Discussing their thoughts, doubts, aspirations, and intentions, and even harder: confessing mistakes, asking forgiveness, admitting weaknesses is not an easy habit to develop at all.
Churches and church leadership go to so much trouble to train and disciple people to recognize the value and importance of authority and accountability in ministry and life. We can avoid a lot of heartaches if we teach our children from an early age to crush pride under the feet of accountability, as they experience the blessings of the family in their everyday struggles. The epidemic of orphaned people does not only involve the spiritually orphaned but also the socially or emotionally orphaned: those who have their characters bruised, hurt and insecure with themselves. Disciplining children to be accountable helps tremendously in their spiritual walk later.
Pride is our enemy folks! Let's stick to each other and destroy the power of the enemy. I cannot stress enough the importance of the love of Christ, which brings restoration, trust and mutual love that enables churches and families to forgive, support and sustain each other in the midst of all kinds of betrayals, fights, and disputes.
Sheltered in accountability, relying on the love of Christ to keep a heavy weight on the head of Satan, under the feet of a body united despite differences and past wounds is the way to go and come out victorious on the other side of this journey. God bless you!
