Something has been on my mind for some time now, so I feel like it may mean something. For all two of you who read this, please tell me what you think.
Now, just a short disclaimer at the beginning of this post just so you don’t get confused. I have been known to be wrong, though not often… at least in my own mind. Ask my wife and you’ll get a totally different story. Anyway, I do not claim to have all answers, nor do I claim ultimate wisdom in my struggles with scripture. There is one “catch-phrase” in popular Christianity these days that has always rubbed me wrong. Accountability seems to be one of those words that just doesn’t blend with a gospel of justice, mercy and grace. I am not suggesting accountability, or accountability partners are in and of themselves, bad things, but I have yet to find a place in the biblical story in which accountability to one another is, for lack of a better term, a requirement for Christian life.
I am not suggesting it be thrown out, but I feel there needs to be serious consideration of our intentions in “holding each other accountable.” Now, I must admit that part of my struggle is that I’m not one to volunteer myself a weekly grace-based interrogation. So, I am admitting my bias toward the grace end of the stick, simply based on my own personal feelings and experiences.
Here’s the difference I see hidden within the gospel. Jesus had no problem calling out sin, but I doubt he carried a little black book and sat his disciples down every Tuesday morning at 9am with a caramel macchiato and asked, “Peter, have you looked at any inappropriate material this week? You have? Minus three points…” I have yet to find, in scripture, a place where we hold each other to account. Now, there are several places where we are to be accountable to God, and him alone, so I guess Jesus would be justified in the little black book.
My point in bringing all this up is simple this: As I listen to a song called Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath, it echos so many passages in scripture. Accountability is by nature a check list. It’s root word is account… Sounds strangely like accounting. Who can honestly say they like meeting with an auditor on a weekly basis. There is something inherently woven within the concept of love that says, “I don’t care what you do, I’m still going to love you. You can screw up as many times as you need to.” That’s not to say we aren’t as Christ going to be afforded opportunities to speak a truthful word. But I am saying that when we prowl around waiting for people to stray from the accountability contract, it’s pretty hard to truly, down to our core, love them as God does. Accountability suggests that I know the better path for you. I can’t help but wonder what Paul was talking about when he said, “carry each others burdens…”
I have no interest in being my fellow brothers’ accountant. I’m not interested in auditing them every week. I want to walk along side them, love them, hurt with them, struggle with them, fall with them… and in the end, look back and say, “Look where God has brought us from! Man, he’s awesome!”
What about you? Lover or auditor?
