Accountability isn't just for bankers!

I wrote a post a couple days ago about, how, many times we needlessly spend a great deal of our lives in solitude, dealing with the things that life throws at us.  Through the turbulence, most of us (un)happily endure it alone, not wanting to unload our burdens on anybody else.  But, as God tells us, "two are better than one...and...a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

So, what does that look like?  How does this accountability happen?  Vulnerability & trust.  No one can have accountability in their lives without these two ingredients.

Because of how I am hardwired, I have a difficult time developing deep, brotherly relationships with other men.  Okay, maybe that is just most men.  Nevertheless, I recently renewed something that I had in my life many years ago... asking for accountability from some trusted men in my life.  When I mustered the courage to make that move, I realized that I was not the only one that craved & needed this.  It opened up the opportunity to help other men, help myself along the way, and grow our community stronger.

I find that I have to force myself to be open & honest.  I trust these men and can let down my defenses with them to increase my vulnerability.  They have to be able to get in to see who I really am, with all my faults, to strengthen the cord of resistance to the enemy's plans.  They, in turn, have accepted me and asked for my accountability in return.  We have endeavored to meet once each week for a face-to-face update, with check-ins by phone or text throughout the week.

One thing you will also find is that this vital behavior is also practiced by any number of hugely successful people in sports, business, and just about any other pursuit you can think.  Success in life requires building community toward a purpose and allowing others to sharpen us toward our goal.

This is by NO means comfortable for any of us.  But, we realize how absolutely vital these behaviors are to living as healthy Christian men.  As I said in my previous post, the enemy tries to isolate us to pick off the weak in the pack.  If he can get us discouraged and distracted from our God-given purpose, he has kept us from reaching somebody else for Christ and showing them God's love.  That is the greatest danger to our happiness.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 - Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Proverbs 27:17 - Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.