WHY ACCOUNTABILITY?

A common question men ask is why? Being the independent creatures we are, the idea of "needing" other men in our lives does not sit too well with us. You know the real reason the nation of Israel wandered in the desert for forty years? Because, even then, men refused to stop and ask for directions! Guys do not want to rely on anyone else for anything.

A couple of factors that keep men from developing close relationships are pride and fear. Do you ever have trouble admitting when you have made a mistake, or that you are wrong? I do. When we get into "vital" relationships with other men, it will ultimately require us to be vulnerable and transparent, and to admit that we have faults and problems. And that can be quite uncomfortable for most men. "I don't need anybody else!" Sound familiar? I spent most of my life believing that. But, time after time, the Bible shows that "It is not good for the man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18) I do not believe God was simply referring to a man's need for a wife. I believe He was stating our need for each other in general.

The Bible is filled with examples of vital relationships among the great men of God. Moses had Aaron. David had Jonathan. "And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself." (1 Samuel 18:3) David said "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women." (2 Samuel 1:26) Paul had Silas, Timothy and Titus, to name a few. In fact, once Paul was led by God to witness at Troas, but he did not, because he would not go there alone: "I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there." (2 Cor. 2:12) Jesus had the twelve, and an even closer relationship with Peter, James and John. Do you see that all of the men God used to do great things had vital relationships with other men? They recognized the need for each other. They did not try to go it alone. Even Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, recognized the importance of vital relationships.

One of the great benefits of accountability is that you will look at your life more closely than ever before. It will raise your awareness of things that, before, you did not think twice about. Eventually, your actions and behavior will change, as you share your struggles with other men, and pray about them together. You will often be relieved to discover you are not the only one who struggles in a certain area, and together you can learn to overcome it. This is where "iron sharpens iron."