Accountability Part 1
15. Nov, 2009 
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Lots of talk in the “Christian” world about “being accountable” and “holding someone accountable.” I hear it a lot. Not sure I see it much though.
I’ve seen it done differently and not done at all – even though it was supposed to be happening. I’ve had “accountability partners” before. Never heard from them.
Huh?
Nope.
Not once did I get a call, e-mail or anything asking if I needed prayer for any area of my life whether at home or while traveling. I could have been sitting in a tavern, falling off a stool drunk into the arms of a stranger and no one
would have known of my struggle. (No, I haven’t been there, just sayin’ I could have.)
Disclaimer:
I do have a friend who brings my feet back to earth when I whine about certain things. She knows my downfall and regularly rescues me from the pit I keep going back to. Thank you, precious one, I love you so much for that!
I do have a friend who brings my feet back to earth when I whine about certain things. She knows my downfall and regularly rescues me from the pit I keep going back to. Thank you, precious one, I love you so much for that!
I think the thing is, those of us who are asked to hold someone accountable do not want to hear what might be wrong with the person we’re supposed to be helping. Not the down and dirty. We don’t want to hear that they have a problem with booze. Lust. Porn. Cursing. Criticality. Lying. Pride. Arrogance. Name it. If we don’t know, then we aren’t responsible for doing anything about it, right?
Wrong.
We’re supposed to be supporting each other. You know, like Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says? We’re supposed to be the extra conscience, the extra prayer warrior, the extra courage for that person, yet we don’t even know where they struggle. And if we did — would we roll our eyes and condemn them with our attitude or would we double our efforts to help them, encourage them, let them know they’re not beyond the reach of God’s help?
And what if they don’t tell us they’re struggling, but we see something amiss in that one’s life; what do we do? Why, of course, we start to make excuses for them. We turn away. We don’t want to have to actually confront them about an issue of wrongdoing, that would be judgmental.
Huh?
Here’s my thought: If a person has asked you to hold them accountable for their behaviors and actions, the way they live – especially if they’re in ministry, if you aren’t willing to get in their face (with love!) about the issues you see in their life, then please, please don’t agree to be their accountability partner. They don’t need you. That person needs you to be the strength that they don’t have in moments when they need it most! That person needs you to be bold enough to remind them that they asked to be told when they slip into that old habit. That person needs you to love them enough to help them change.
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