Accountability
“Ukimficha jogoo kwenye pakacha kuna wakati atawika” Swahili proverb “If you hide a rooster in a basket, he will crow at some point.”
Accountability is an important, if not crucial quality we should embrace if we are to succeed in achieving our goals. I think in one way or another, accountability is inescapable. We can either choose to be accountable of our own volition, or circumstances may and will arise that will cause us to account for our actions or inaction. Accountability keeps us in check and ensures that we attain an inspired harmonious life.I think it is a key ingredient in attaining this way of life.
I think there are three levels of accountability. We are accountable to the Creator, to ourselves and then to others. Regarding our accountability to the Creator, Scripture says in Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.” David in Psalm 139:7-12 says of God the Creator “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”
Accountability to the self is governed by our conscience. We may have an accusing conscience, some voice within us that tells us whenever we are doing something wrong. When we ignore these warnings we may descend into chaos. Apostle Paul talks of keeping a clear conscience in a number of his writings. In Acts 24:16, he said he tried to maintain a clear conscience before God and man. He advised Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:19 to cling to his faith and to keep his conscience clear.
Accountability to others includes close family members, friends, relatives, bosses, colleagues, organizations etc. The levels of accountability may vary depending on the people or persons involved. So for instance you may be more accountable to a spouse as opposed to a distant relative.
For us to live an inspired harmonious life, we should be accountable.
I recall a story of 4 students who were ill prepared for an exam after being away partying for a whole night. There was no way they were going to do the exam without failing. They decided to make up a story to tell their Professor so that they could be excused from taking the exam. They told the Professor that they had attended a wedding the previous night. On their way back to Campus, their car got a flat tyre and they had to push it all the way back. They asked if they could be allowed to take the exam some other day.
Their Professor listened to their story and was gracious to them. He told them that their test would be rescheduled to be done three days later. The students were so grateful to the Professor for offering them a second chance.
For the next three days, they studied hard for the exam, taking no chances to ensure that this time round, they would be so ready to tackle the exam. On the day of the exam, they showed up to their Professor’s office, beaming with confidence. They knew they would ace the exam. The Professor told them that they would each go to separate rooms to take their exam. They wondered why but were not worried since each of them was adequately prepared.
When they each opened the exam questions, they realized there were only two questions as follows:
Question 1. Write your name (1 point)
Question 2. Which tyre burst? (99 points)
When we are not accountable for our daily tasks, it ends up complicating our lives and experiences in the future, akin to the students.
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/harmony-deconstructed-podcast/donations
