The reward of good accountability
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:1-2
Former New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle recalls that as a teenager in the minor leagues he began playing poorly. Discouraged, homesick, and feeling sorry for himself, Mantle tearfully called his father to come to take him home. When the elder Mantle arrived, Mickey expected sympathy and reassurances.
But instead, Charles Mantle jarred his strapping son by saying, “Okay, if that’s all the guts you’ve got, you might as well come home with me right now and work in the mines.” Snapped awake, Mickey Mantle stuck it out that year—and wrote his name in history as one of the greatest baseball players to ever live.
Many times, we need a good kick in the pants to help us stay focused on what’s really important. This is because it’s so easy to get lost in the mundane and difficulty of our current circumstances that we lose sight of the big picture—we miss the forest for the trees! And it’s in those times that you need people who will gently and lovingly steer you back in the right direction toward what’s really important.
Keep a group of close friends around you who love you enough to spur you on to obedience to God’s calling in your life. Mickey Mantle made history because of his baseball abilities. And you can impact eternity if you’ll simply have those people in your lives who will love you enough to remind you of what really matters!
Prayer Challenge
Pray for God to reveal to you people in your life who you can ask to hold you accountable when you need it.
Questions for Thought
Can you think back to a time in your life when you let fleeting circumstances lead you to a wrong decision?
How many people can you name right now who, if they saw you making a wrong decision, would love you enough to let you know?
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