February 1, 2019 -- Proverbs 28:23 -- Accountability
/Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue. Proverbs 28:23 ESV
Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it. Psalm 141:5 ESV
To be corrected by a righteous man is far better than flattery. It is a blessing to have a man of integrity tell you where you are going wrong and what needs to be fixed in your life. Who in your life have you given permission to tell you hard truths? Do you have an accountability partner who knows you well enough to know when you are telling the truth or when you are self-deceived?
The fact of the matter is that Christ has been punished in our place for our sins. We are to confess our sins and root them out of our lives. It is all too easy to think “I’m good” and have our standard of comparison be someone other than Jesus Christ Himself. When we compare ourselves to the perfections of Jesus, we are aware of our glaring sins, our neglect of doing good and our unwillingness to change. On our own we might still be too lethargic to change or too overwhelmed to know where to begin.
In our marriages we might be tempted, for the sake of peace , not to be as forthright and as bold as needed in pointing out the other’s sins and failures. Those who are among who are single and are part of the family of God have much to offer in true community. Only when sin is exposed as sin do we confess it. Only when we grow in devotion to the Saviour and follow Him as the Captain of Salvation do we realize how lax we can be in our training for holiness. Men need other godly men to hold them accountable. Women need other godly women to hold them to account. Who in your life tells your hard truths? Who has permission to do so in your life?
Faithful Father thank You for the gift of Christian community. Thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all our sins. Thank You for the Spirit Who takes the accomplished work of Jesus and applies it to our lives. Father of all mercies, we confess how perverse we really are. Hiding sins which are plain before You. Lord, You discipline us, You teach us out of Your law. Give to us men other men with whom we can be honest and open so that sin is rooted out. Give us to women other women with whom we can be honest and open so that sin is rooted out. In all things it is our desire to be conformed more and more to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. Spirit of God, by the Word and Your presence in us and among us, give us an ever deepening love for our Savior and our King. Amen.
