What is it that gives us an almost subconscious aversion to a word? Take “accountability” for example. Maybe that word gives you warm fuzzies, but for me, I automatically feel as if I’ve done something wrong and need to take a quick inventory of what I’ve been doing or thinking.
Maybe it’s because as a little girl, nothing escaped the notice of my mother, bless her. She seemed to get some sort of signal from inside the house if I was looking in the direction of my aunt’s house up on the hill. I was told never to go there alone, because of the snakes that were often seen on the dirt road between our house and hers. But, sometimes I did it anyway. The lure of a cookie or a nickel for penny candy was stronger than the threat of the hickory switch. Most of the time I was intercepted before I got there by one of my sisters, who was deputized by Mama to come haul me back for my leg-switching.
The word also makes me think of the strict, legalistic years of religion that I had somehow slowly, sip by sip, drank the Kool-Aid of in my twenties and thirties. Hardly ever a Sunday went by that Romans 14:12 was not quoted in a threatening tone toward the end of each altar call.
I was drawn back to that passage this morning and decided to read the whole chapter with the idea of what is really being said about accountability. Context is so important, isn’t it? This chapter is written by Paul to address the issue of judging each other. Paul says in verses 12 and 13: “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore, let’s not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this: not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s or sister’s way.”
Paul had noticed that in the name of holding each other accountable, there was a lot of judging going on and that people had become so busy noticing what others were doing that they failed to take a look at the posture of their own hearts.
It’s clear from passages like Luke 17:1-3 and Galatians 6:1 that we are to watch out for each other and not let something that can be destructive go unaddressed. We aren’t to have the “live and let live” attitude when it comes to our brothers and sisters in the faith. Accountability is important. But I believe it is important that I live a life of regularly examining my own actions AND motives first. Amazingly, I can see much more clearly the steps to take in helping my friend with what perhaps he or she cannot see on their own.
If daily reflection on your own thoughts, feelings and behaviors is not a part of your routine, you might want to try it. I have developed some questions that might help.