Leading Through Change Devotional-Part 5

Day 5-The Standards by Which We Live

 

Numbers 32:23

“But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.”

 

                        The story of Ravi Zacharias still haunts me and serves as an unfortunate reminder. Ravi was a well-respected and loved Christian apologist for decades across North America and even the world. His intellectual depth engaged the thinker and sceptic while his clarity allowed the everyday Christan to glean from his defense of the Christian faith. It was widely known that Ravi was a man of integrity and dignity, taking extra precautions while in the limelight to avoid temptation and anything that could be a stumbling point. He always traveled with an assistant and was held accountable personally and professionally by his family and organization. Cancer unfortunately led to a decline in Ravi’s ability to travel and eventually led to his death in 2020. Shortly after his death though, rumors began to surface of sexual misconduct. The ministry would go on to hire lawyers to investigate the allegations which found there was indeed sexual misconduct on multiple levels. It was also discovered that while Ravi submitted to the accountability of those around him in most ways, he had a way around them with multiple other phones that no one knew about. It’s a sad ending to a life that impacted so many people and had certainly helped to spread the gospel to the far corners of the earth.

            While this is a sobering backdrop, I hope it does remind us of the critical importance of our actions and words and the standard by which we live. There are two sides to accountability. On one hand is our performance and ability to meet goals and objectives. This level is related to the physical side of life. This includes our academic, fitness, professional, or goals in a variety of other areas. The other side of accountability is our moral integrity and this directly effects and relates to the spiritual level. This is who we are when no one is looking and whether we there is a double standard between who others think we are and where we stand before God. Every great leader must have people in their lives who are continually pushing us to do what is right, holding them to the standards they’ve pledged to live by. This can and often will lead to uncomfortable conversations but allowing a few people to know your deepest thoughts and tendencies will enable them to better understand you as a person and protect you from situations where you may be prone to comprise. If someone wants to get away with something though, they will always be able to find a way around it. But they can be sure that their hidden sins will one day be revealed.

 

Questions for Consideration:

1. Who is currently holding you accountable? If not, who can you ask to starting today?
2. Are there areas where you’re not living up to the correct standard?