WHERE IS YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY??
God told the prophet Jeremiah, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9). Our ability to embed ourselves within the impenetrable shell of rationalization, projection and denial is nothing short of amazing.
Neil Plantinga writes:
We deny, suppress, or minimize what we know to be true. We assert, adorn, and elevate what we know to be false. We prettify ugly realities and sell ourselves the prettified versions. Thus a liar might transform “I tell a lot of lies to shore up my pride” to “Occasionally, I finesse the truth in order to spare other people’s feelings.”1
An entire field of social psychology – the study of “cognitive dissonance” – is based on our limitless ability to rationalize what we do and say. That being the case, we all need people who will help us protect ourselves from ourselves and the desires of our own hearts.
Effective leaders use the same standards for themselves that they apply to others. They hold themselves accountable just like everyone else on the team. Maintaining such accountability involves seeking 360-degree honesty. Skilled leaders consistently receive feedback from those who work above them, beside them and for them. David Watson says, “Anything that is subject to human limitation or error requires the collegial presence of another person to ensure responsibility. It is a fact of life.”2 A failure to provide a structure for such accountability will lead to a crisis of character and leadership.
FOLKS........GOD WILL HOLD US ALL, EVERY LEADER ACCOUNTABLE!
King David is a great example of what can happen when leaders FAIL to be accountable for their actions. When they fail to create a structure in which they are accountable for how they live both their personal and professional lives.
EXAMPLE:
David sent Joab out with the Israelite Army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah while David remained in Jerusalem. One evening, David got up from bed and was walking around on the roof of the palace when he saw this beautiful woman bathing. He sent someone to find out about the woman. The man says to David "Isn't that Bathesba, daughter of Eliam, WIFE of Uriah the Hittite? David sent messengers to get her. She came to David and he slept with her. Next thing you know, Bathesba sends word to David: "I'M PREGNANT!"
By this time, David was up in age, had been King for numerous years. He was a gifted musician, mighty warrior and a very capable leader. He ENJOYED being intimate with GOD, had a healthy family and a very stable political position with an unbroken string of military victories. The King who had it ALL. What he DIDN'T have was Uriah's wife and THAT was what he wanted!
No, David didn't just wake up one day and decide to trash his entire life with SIN by committing Adultery and Murder! NO...and neither do we! See, David had a problem with self-control.
(Sidenote: If we put God in control, we don't have to worry about "SELF" getting out of line)
David began a descent by making "small" compromises! He took an additional wife, then another and another until he had SEVEN in all...but...even THAT wasn't enough. So, he got himself a herem. He made things worse for himself by (Watch this now...) NOT having anyone around him who WOULD tell him about his problem.
Although David could hide his sins from his "associates", he couldn't hide them from God! Our sins WILL find us! (Numbers 32:23) because God sees what is done in secret (Psalm 90:8)
NOTHING is hidden from God or escapes his notice (Jeremiah 23:24) God is slow to anger, BUT, he gets angry!
God sent Nathan, the Prophet, to confront David. That's when David realized (UH OH...watch this ) EVEN Kings (LEADERS) ARE accountable for their actions. David had TWO choices. He would either confess and be a man after God's own heart or be in denial and be another King Saul.
(another side note: Being a man after God's own heart doesn't mean you ARE perfect!!!. It means you have to be HONEST about your failures and shortcomings)
David chose to confess: (2 Samuel 12:13) and pour his HEART out to God (Psalm 51)
If we are not WILLING to invite someone like Nathan into our lives, God will provide a Nathan for us. (he provides our EVERY need) But, by then it may be too late to spare us from the consequences.
Wise leaders don’t wait for a crisis to establish accountability. Accountability relationships cannot be imposed; they must be invited. It's on leaders to establish structures and relationships that harness their sin and unleash their potential. We must seek out godly people of mature character and give them permission to ask us the tough questions. This requires risk on our part. It requires honesty and vulnerability – risky things that leaders are often skeptical about. However, as anyone who has suffered the consequences of a fall will tell you, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
WILL YOU BE ACCOUNTABLE TODAY?
Be Blessed and remember to BE a blessing!
Neil Plantinga writes:
We deny, suppress, or minimize what we know to be true. We assert, adorn, and elevate what we know to be false. We prettify ugly realities and sell ourselves the prettified versions. Thus a liar might transform “I tell a lot of lies to shore up my pride” to “Occasionally, I finesse the truth in order to spare other people’s feelings.”1
An entire field of social psychology – the study of “cognitive dissonance” – is based on our limitless ability to rationalize what we do and say. That being the case, we all need people who will help us protect ourselves from ourselves and the desires of our own hearts.
Effective leaders use the same standards for themselves that they apply to others. They hold themselves accountable just like everyone else on the team. Maintaining such accountability involves seeking 360-degree honesty. Skilled leaders consistently receive feedback from those who work above them, beside them and for them. David Watson says, “Anything that is subject to human limitation or error requires the collegial presence of another person to ensure responsibility. It is a fact of life.”2 A failure to provide a structure for such accountability will lead to a crisis of character and leadership.
FOLKS........GOD WILL HOLD US ALL, EVERY LEADER ACCOUNTABLE!
King David is a great example of what can happen when leaders FAIL to be accountable for their actions. When they fail to create a structure in which they are accountable for how they live both their personal and professional lives.
EXAMPLE:
David sent Joab out with the Israelite Army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah while David remained in Jerusalem. One evening, David got up from bed and was walking around on the roof of the palace when he saw this beautiful woman bathing. He sent someone to find out about the woman. The man says to David "Isn't that Bathesba, daughter of Eliam, WIFE of Uriah the Hittite? David sent messengers to get her. She came to David and he slept with her. Next thing you know, Bathesba sends word to David: "I'M PREGNANT!"
By this time, David was up in age, had been King for numerous years. He was a gifted musician, mighty warrior and a very capable leader. He ENJOYED being intimate with GOD, had a healthy family and a very stable political position with an unbroken string of military victories. The King who had it ALL. What he DIDN'T have was Uriah's wife and THAT was what he wanted!
No, David didn't just wake up one day and decide to trash his entire life with SIN by committing Adultery and Murder! NO...and neither do we! See, David had a problem with self-control.
(Sidenote: If we put God in control, we don't have to worry about "SELF" getting out of line)
David began a descent by making "small" compromises! He took an additional wife, then another and another until he had SEVEN in all...but...even THAT wasn't enough. So, he got himself a herem. He made things worse for himself by (Watch this now...) NOT having anyone around him who WOULD tell him about his problem.
Although David could hide his sins from his "associates", he couldn't hide them from God! Our sins WILL find us! (Numbers 32:23) because God sees what is done in secret (Psalm 90:8)
NOTHING is hidden from God or escapes his notice (Jeremiah 23:24) God is slow to anger, BUT, he gets angry!
God sent Nathan, the Prophet, to confront David. That's when David realized (UH OH...watch this ) EVEN Kings (LEADERS) ARE accountable for their actions. David had TWO choices. He would either confess and be a man after God's own heart or be in denial and be another King Saul.
(another side note: Being a man after God's own heart doesn't mean you ARE perfect!!!. It means you have to be HONEST about your failures and shortcomings)
David chose to confess: (2 Samuel 12:13) and pour his HEART out to God (Psalm 51)
If we are not WILLING to invite someone like Nathan into our lives, God will provide a Nathan for us. (he provides our EVERY need) But, by then it may be too late to spare us from the consequences.
Wise leaders don’t wait for a crisis to establish accountability. Accountability relationships cannot be imposed; they must be invited. It's on leaders to establish structures and relationships that harness their sin and unleash their potential. We must seek out godly people of mature character and give them permission to ask us the tough questions. This requires risk on our part. It requires honesty and vulnerability – risky things that leaders are often skeptical about. However, as anyone who has suffered the consequences of a fall will tell you, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
WILL YOU BE ACCOUNTABLE TODAY?
Be Blessed and remember to BE a blessing!
Comment
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Comment by T.L. Hawkins on April 7, 2009 at 2:26pm
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Rev Luckett~ I can definitely relate! People who don't want to BE accountable don't want to DO in the church and work in Ministries.
Sis. AliYah~ True! Those that know better SHOULD do better. We tend to get COMFORTABLE in our sins and attempt to justify what we do by adding, removing or adjusting THE WORD to "pacify" what we're doing. We are to NOT change the word. It is what it is and we SHOULD follow it to the letter. Yes, it's hard, but it's REALLY not too much to be asked of us!
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Comment by Tara Robinson on April 7, 2009 at 11:30am
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Tarmeque you have truly spoken what has been in my heart lately i have tried to tell others we are children of God and that we need to be careful of how we treat each other no one man has all the truth no one person is perfect but we all must be accountable for our GOOD the BAD and the UGLY. I for one choose to do what is pleasing to God and love my brothers and sisters and be a support through prayer and encouragement you know that was the example Jesus gave he never tried to prove he was right he just said what the father told him and as that example i do the same. It saddens me to see some of our people so angry at each other putting one another down instead of praying for those who are weak in faith they are being kicked while down . I said this before and i will say it again satan is out to STEAL ,KILL, and DESTROY and the best way to bring down a church is for us to attack each other the bible says WOE unto you who would call EVIL good and GOOD evil and this is what i feel the church has come to and if we are seeing it on this site just imagine what is going on in the church outside. My assignment is to pray and love in spite of and allow God to do his work. The bible also teaches in the last days we will see these ungodly behaviors so this is not shocking but sad but one thing i know is God knows how to deliver his church and we all must choose wisely which side are we really on because in the end God says we know his people by their fruit so tell Tarmeque what fruit have you seen lately.
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Eric, if they know like "I" know..they will realize it's NOT worth it!
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Comment by Eric Hancock on April 7, 2009 at 10:46am
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David had the Anointing for twenty years and lost it all for a one night stand ..when going into being used by God/Yahweh there is a SEASON of taking off and adding on,,new levels in life as well ministry,,some go through all forms of Hell,,also known as the stumbling blocks of life...OK...Now we're past that stage,,somethings ought not ot be done,,,Sin should have been all done during that season of process,,you see what I am saying?? why is that More and more people of the cloth commit more sins saved than unsaved???,,So wich means that the process will recycle in ones life .have you noticed that people that start from point A traveling to point C,once that individual backslides they end up back in point A..is it worth it??
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THANK YOU for your response.
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