Accountability

Accountability is a word we hear all the time.  We especially hear it in politics when someone is accusing someone else of not doing what they are supposed to do.  But what does it really mean?   What does it mean to be accountable?  Being accountable is very simply taking responsibility for your own actions.  I would venture to say that the first "person" that you are accountable to is...yourself.  We are all accountable to God, but we are also accountable to ourselves and we must hold ourselves accountable at all times.

Why do I say this?  There is a problem in our society with pride and self-righteousness.  We are always looking for someone to put down in order that we might be raised up.  We look for flaws in others and for specks in their eyes of others so that we are not so cognizant of our own logs.  We have all of the answers for everyone else's problems and yet our own lives are in total disarray.  It's funny that Steve Harvey is enriching himself by giving advice that he obviously doesn't follow.  Dr. Phil has a solution for every family...except for his own.  Jesus gave us the solution to the problem of hypocritical judgment and self righteousness.  Thus, Matthew 7:1-5 says:

"“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?5“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.


Here is what I mean by holding yourself accountable.  Jesus here is preaching/teaching against HYPOCRITICAL judgment.  In other words, don't be guilty of the same infraction that you are calling someone else out on!  Nor should you ignore your own flaws in light of calling someone else out for their flaws.  Self inspection before inspecting others is of the utmost importance in the Christian walk.  I cannot judge myself relative to anyone else because NO ONE else is going to meet God for me but me.  I cannot look at the faults of others without first of all understanding my own imperfection.  ALL of us are messed up before God and therefore are not worthy to hypocritically judge one another.  Therefore, as Paul says in Galatians 6:3, we are deceiving ourselves if we can look at someone else and see their flaws and use that to boost our own self esteem and think that we are "something".


I say all of this because in a relationship with another person, two broken vessels come together and become one.  Whether the cracks match up is a different thing but the point is that we are all broken.  We are broken by sin and we are irreparably broken outside of a true relationship with Jesus.   The relationship with this other person can be the place for healing or further destruction depending on the honesty of the people involved.  IF the people involved are transparent and admit their flaws, the relationship can/will survive.  IF the people involved refuse to admit their flaws, there will be constant conflict as one will ALWAYS feel a sense of superiority over the other.  How do we get to the point of transparency with each other?  First and foremost, we must get to the point of transparency with God!  The bible says in Hebrews 4:12 that the word of God is living, active, sharper than any two edged sword, has the ability to divide even the closest knit muscles, and is a judge of the heart's intentions.  That's what the word does.  Then in verse 13 it says plainly- "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."   The Word of God is what exposes us (ALL) and reminds us of our condition, reminds us of our need for a savior but it also has the power to heal and renew and transform!  If all things are open and laid bare to the one that we must give account to, why do we spend so much time holding every one else accountable except for ourselves?  We have to get be exposed by God so that we can have a proper perspective of the world and have the ability to deal with others in love, unity and harmony.  Knowledge puffs up but love edifies.  


Take some time and conduct a self assessment.  Get in the mirror and see if there is anything that you would change.  If there is nothing, then you are probably not being honest with yourself.  Be honest and transparent and if you don't feel comfortable being honest, ask God to show you- He has no problem at all being honest with us.  You have to be willing to take the blame when you are wrong, humble yourself when you are right, apologize when you have wronged someone and forgive when you have been wronged.  It is all a part of becoming more like Christ and less like ourselves.  It is all a part of holding ourselves accountable.