Devotion

Have you ever heard the saying “Elephant in the Room”? I’m sure you have. Around the

office, with friends, or even at the dinner table, it’s an old English idiom that many of us

use to describe an obvious truth that is either being ignored, or at times, rarely being

addressed. We all have seen elephants at the zoo or maybe on TV. , and we know how

impossible it is for an elephant to be ignored. They are the largest land animals in the

world, weighing anywhere between 9000-12,000 pounds. So you would think that if you

and I were in a room with an elephant, we would probably know it!

While doing some soul searching this week, I began to ask myself this question; as Christians, what are the

elephants you and I have in the room today? What are the biggest elephants we have in the church today? I’m sure, depending on whom you ask, the answers to that question would differ greatly, money, divorce, racism, homosexuality, politics, and sexism. The list is endless. There is however one “elephant” in particular that we as Christians rarely seem to uncover enough.

Despite its size and ability to frighten all in its path, this elephant has been chained to the rooms (and hearts) of every believer by God Himself. It simply cannot be avoided. That elephant is ACCOUNTABILITY. Romans 12:16 says, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

If we are really honest with one another we can all say at one point or another that we have a hard time asking for help. Whether it was from a family member, friend, or even fellow believer, for some reason we equate a need for help as a sign of weakness. Nothing like figuring things out on your own, or so we think until our “elephants of accountability” grow bigger than the rooms we hide them in. As Christians, there is nothing more important than seeking out and embracing the accountability of the friends and loved ones God has placed around us.

More often than not, many of us can fall victim to a dangerous belief system that our

relationship with Christ (and no one else) is all that we need to be successful in our daily

walk with Him. Without accountability, the voice of God can sound a lot like your own. I

encourage you today to become a person of accountability.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I humble myself before You and ask You to forgive me of thinking that I am

wise in my own opinion. I ask You Father to help me see when I need to be held

accountable for wrong actions or thoughts. Father take away the shame and help me to

see that my need for help is not a sign of weakness. Father I want to please You in all

that I do and say, I want to be a true Ambassador for Christ sharing Your Gospel without

any issues that will hold me back from being who You want me to be. Amen