RECOVERING FROM A FALL (3) – ACCOUNTABILITY 

I hugged Irewamiri and said to her, “Thank you for pointing that slip out to me. I am really grateful”. She smiled and said, “You gave me permission to do that”. I smiled. What was it I said to her? I told her, “Darling, you see what I do not see. Please always point it out to me when you notice that care is becoming carelessness”. 

Beloved, trust is key in life, but if you have ever breached the trust before, you would need a lot more to show proof that you are a changed man or woman. 

In winning back that trust, you would not just be honest, you must also be transparent. You cannot afford to be careless. There is a difference between honesty and transparency. If a wife asks her husband where he is and he says, “I am in an eatery with Peter, Petra and Priscillia”, that is honesty. He did not lie. He has said the truth. However, if he sends a message before he leaves the office to his wife saying, “I will be a bit late this evening. I have a business conversation at Big Chops Restaurant with Peter, Petra and Priscillia”, he is not just honest, he is transparent. Honesty says the truth when asked. Transparency does not wait to be asked before he bears it all. 

If you have ever been caught in the trap of sin and you do not want to be back in a strange web, you must embrace accountability. Sin thrives in secrecy, and it gets choked once it is brought into the open. 

For instance, if you have been caught in th web of gambling, alcoholism or sexual addiction, you do not want to take accountability for granted. You should build a system that tracks where you are and also what you do with money. You can make sure that your spouse gets alerts for all your transfers. You do not need to keep any privacy. Live like an open book. Never suppress the voice of accountability. 

For a while, it can be painful, but know that it is needed pain for growth and progress. Paul spoke about needed pain:  

2 Corinthians 8:21 NIV

For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

It may cost a little more patience, but it brings a special harvest. Build a system of accountability. 

Who asks you the tough questions?

When you are asked, be calm enough to respond. 

Without a system of accountability, a dog will return to its vomit. Be accountable.

© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa