Accountability Partners

Accountability Partners

Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.

It was fully three seconds after dashing off an angry text to Kendra and Kristin that my phone rang. It was Kendra, and I knew why she was calling. We had just received a business email; I was seriously annoyed at the nitpicky comments we’d received, and my text to her and Kristin reflected my exasperation with a few frowny emojis tossed in for additional emphasis.

One of the things I appreciate the most about Kendra is that she is willing to lovingly confront me, even when I’m mad. She calls me out when I’m wrong, offers a different perspective to counter my assumptions, and gently reminds me that my faith calls me to grace. She isn’t afraid to say the words I don’t want to hear, and I listen because I know she has my best interests at heart.

Having a friend who loves me enough to correct me is not a blessing I take lightly, even if I’m slightly grumpy in the moment. It is far easier to not confront, to let things slide, to let friends do or say things that undermine God’s calling on their lives than it is to gently hold them accountable. But I would far rather hear hard truth spoken in great love from my friends than listen to the fake sweetness of those who aren’t truly on my side.

Knowing which words are hard truths and which are fake love requires wisdom on my end. I have to be willing to listen with an open heart, accept correction, and recognize that my friends are firmly on my side, even when they say things that might hurt. Sweet, empty words that smooth things over but leave unholy behavior unchanged is a trap used by the enemy of our souls to keep us from God’s best.

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Have you been ignoring the painful truth someone has shared with you in good faith? Have you been avoiding a potentially painful conversation with someone you love over unholy behavior? Pray about how to have those conversations.