Accountability Goes in Both Directions

Sunday night my pastor gave an interesting illustration which really made me think about my own attitudes towards true Christian accountability... accountability in both directions.

He first went over the story of how Nathan confronted David about his sin of putting Uriah at the worst part of the battle and withdraw from him so Uriah would be killed and David could take Bathsheba for his own wife. See II Samuel 11 and II Samuel 12

My pastor emphasized:

• Nathan had an existing relationship with David


• Nathan was the right man because God called him


• Nathan acted on God’s timing


• Nathan went alone


• Nathan spoke tactfully (note story about the poor man’s lamb taken by the rich man in II Samuel 12:1-4)


• Nathan spoke the truth courageously to King David who could have him killed.


• David accepted the rebuke and repented

He went on to tell an illustration that cut me to the bone.

It seems he had an acquaintance who had a son who went to one of the military academies that had an honor code not to “lie, cheat, steel, or tolerate anyone among us who does.” The son came home on break on one occasion and told his father how he kept his head down to his desk during tests with his arm wrapped around his paper. The young man’s father inquired why he was so worried that someone would cheat off his paper. To his surprise the son said he wasn’t worried about someone looking on his paper, he kept his head down like that because he did not want to see any of his classmates cheating because then he would have to turn them in the school administration. In other words, he didn’t want to know. He didn’t want to get involved.

My how this attitude contrasts with the story of Nathan who was willing to risk his own life to lovingly confront David in his sin as God commanded him to! I must confess that I might have reacted the same way in his situation.

Our pastor challenged us whether we are both willing to accept the rebuke of other believers when we’re wrong and willing to lovingly confront sin in others. Culturally, there is a lot of pressure to be like that military academy student and not want to know and not want to be involved. But.. there does seem to be a strong scriptural basis for being willing to step up lovingly and prayerfully to confront a sinning believer one on one. My pastor said "We all have a whistle and sometimes we need to blow it!"

God, I pray that You use the Holy Spirit to shape and mold me into the man You need me to be. Help me be willing to be accountable for my sinful behavior. Give me the strength I need to resist the temptations which surround me. Help me also to be ready to accept Your prompting to lovingly confront my fellow believer in a way that would lead to repentence and a renewed commitment to follow Your ways. Help me be someone who encourages others.