The Necessity for Accountability

"And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." ~1 Thessalonians 5:14

I believe a variable missing from society as a whole in America in this day and age is accountability. This concept seems to have died out with the coming of age of the American Dream. The American Dream is an individualistic, self-centered attitude based upon hard work, ensuring that nobody has to be accountable for his or her actions. Unfortunately, this is why America's infrastructure and economy now seems to be crumbling because nobody reminded anybody to save and then pay, or to even pay bills at all. Why else would individual, state, or national debt be so high?

I believe part of the reason is that nobody chose to "admonish the idle" since our concerns are focused upon self, as opposed to society. Everybody likes to blame society for all of the problems, but those same people tend to forget that they in fact are also part of the same society. We are all interconnected, whether we like it or not. No longer should we adopt the attitude of, "It doesn't involve me, so it's not my problem." Instead, God urges us to hold others accountable, but also to encourage and help those who are fainthearted and weak. If we focus inwardly on ourselves, we miss out on chances to help others who are truly in need.

Accountability has many forms. It should be used within the church in order to ensure that all the members are doing their best to maintain their walks with Christ. In the community, it could help promote honesty and concern among neighbors. Where accountability is helping me most at the moment, though, is within the sphere of running. I have not maintained a consistent running schedule since I ran my marathon last year, which has been rather frustrating. Part of me just needed a break from the sport, but part of me longed for the enjoyment of cruising along trails. Thankfully I have been blessed with someone from Bible study who has taken upon the task of holding me accountable when it comes to running. We both benefit because he is an aspiring running coach and I am in need of a more structured training regimen. Knowing that somebody will be checking in with me about whether or not I chose to run is definitely a great motivator.

I believe that if a more structured form of accountability was established within churches in America, many would put more thought behind their actions. Knowing that we will be questioned about our decisions in day to day life should help motivate people to draw closer to Christ and try to walk in a way pleasing to Him. Accountability encourages us to take responsibility in our lives and promotes caring to others within the community. I think it's about time we all tried some on for size.