Be Accountable

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17

A life that is deficient in iron will cause one to become physically weak. Likewise, a relationship that is iron deficient, where no one is being sharpened, corrected, or provoked to good works is not beneficial to growth. People may fear upsetting you or hurting your feelings, but a real friend that loves you would much rather make you upset and please God instead of appease you.

Accountability isn’t telling people what to do. It is encouraging them to do what God has already instructed them to do. We are not just helping each other stay out of sin, but helping one another move forward into being all that God created us to be. We will never grow on an island isolated away from people. Nor will we grow if we surround ourselves only with those that think like us and talk like us. We need people that get up under our skin and irritate us, encouraging us to grow and mature. Not “yes” people, but those who feel personally responsible to help us become all that God has called us to be.

Prayer: Father God, I need more iron in my life. I pray that You send true friends that will not appease me, but will sharpen me and help me be all that You called me to be. Help me also to be iron for others, someone who knows how to hold people accountable without fear, but from a place of love and humility. In Jesus’ name, Amen.