“Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:23-24 (WEB)
As I pulled into the church parking lot for my weekly meeting with my mentor, 2Tim (as I like to call him), I was surprised to see the flashing lights of a deputy sheriff’s car in the church’s front parking lot. My second and greater surprise, however, was that the car the deputy had pulled over belonged to 2Tim! “What in the world?” I thought to myself. It turns out 2Tim had been pulled over because one of his brake lights was out unbeknownst to him. The officer didn’t issue him a ticket, fortunately, and only wished to inform 2Tim the light was out and needed to be replaced. Who knows how long the brake light had been out up to that point, and how much longer it would’ve stayed that way had the deputy not pulled him over? While the brake light being out is not a seemingly big deal, driving without both brake lights could actually lead to a dangerous situation in certain circumstances so 2Tim and I both agreed as the deputy pulled away that this was one of those “blessings in disguise.”
Isn’t this so often the case in our own spiritual walk as well? I can’t help but wonder what issues I have in my own life that I’m unaware of that need to be addressed so that I can make it right with the Lord? So many times we are literally blind to some of our own spiritual failings. The bottom line is that unless a “deputy” comes along to speak much needed truth into my life I’m very likely going to keep on driving merrily, but ignorantly, along as I go about my day to day life oblivious to the fact I’m crossways with the Lord in a particular area of my life. The bottom line is we each need “deputies” in our lives provided by the Lord to make us aware of the shortcomings, or sins, we are fostering in our lives that are in need of our attention. Yes, we’re talking about accountability to another person, someone you can trust and confide in, who loves you, and most importantly loves the Lord first and foremost.
The enemy would thoroughly enjoy seeing us continue on down our path of blindness, of course. Isolation is a key ploy of his to help ensure we stay on that wrong path. We are not meant to fight the good fight alone. Ecclesiates 4:12 (WEB) tells us, “If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” So, do you have an accountability “deputy” friend in your life? Do you have a 2Tim? If not, ask the Lord to send such a friend your way realizing that a relationship of this sort is also very much a two-way street of hope and promise for the both of you. Simply put, remember to brake for accountability before your lack of accountability breaks you. Lord, we thank you for sending dear and close Christian brothers and sisters into our lives to help us navigate our way through this life as we seek to please You, amen!
“A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 (WEB)
ONE's upon my time 