NOVEMBER 28–MEASURING & ACCOUNTABILITY

 When Cephas came to Antioch, I confronted him directly – face-to-face. I saw that he was acting hypocritically; bringing condemnation on himself and leading others away from truth. (Galatians 2:11)

                  When you see a friend messing up in a way that will harm that person and others around them, will you step up to address it? Do you feel a responsibility for praying; asking God to give you direction? Do you act when the Holy Spirit moves you to speak? There is great risk – to relationships, self-interest, even to the entire group, when someone falls short of the community’s stated values. It is a big deal.

                  Paul and Peter (Cephas) were two of the most visible leaders of the early church. Conflict between them was a serious issue that carried a high degree of risk. Paul must have wondered how it would end, when he decided to confront Peter with his failure. Fortunately, we know from Peter himself that he and Paul continued to have a solid, perhaps better, relationship (2 Peter 3:15), but Paul could not have been sure of this ending when he approached Peter. Fortunately, Peter did listen, and the church community was strengthened.

                   Measuring your own performance, and the actions of your people is important ongoing work. Holding them, and yourself accountable in humility is a critical part of creating a strong values-based culture.