AccountabilitySample

ACCOUNTABILITY AT WORK – PRODUCTIVITY & OWNERSHIP

In today’s world, jobs are not hard to find. But good and skilled people are difficult to get. So young people sometimes get used to the idea of wanting to start off life with a job that demands less and pays more. As those who follow Jesus, we can make a difference here. One of the things I loved about my Dad was his love for his work and his striving for excellence.

In the last 20 years, India has made big strides in the global economy. But we tend to get rather proud and smug about how we are. We must remember that we have a long way to go, in terms of quality of what we produce. We as Christians have to make a difference in what we do. Do I shine as a light in my small corner? Can people point to me as a benchmark for excellence? Excellence and hard work are not options for a Christian, but a way of life.

One important aspect of accountability that we Christians need to manifest is to accept responsibility or ownership for what we take on. The first time when man had to take ownership for what he had done, our forefather, Adam, shamelessly passed it on to his wife, Eve (Gen 3:11-13). Soon enough, Eve in turn passed the blame to the serpent. It’s in human nature not to own up when things go wrong.

We find a distinct difference in the way Saul and David responded to rebuke from the Lord for the sins they had committed. In I Sam 15, when Samuel confronted Saul for not having destroyed the Amalekites, Saul shifted the blame to his army and even justifies himself. David, on the other hand, when confronted by the prophet Nathan in II Samuel 12, owned up his sin and took responsibility for his actions.

Even in the corporate world, we fail to realize that with power and authority there is accountability and the need to take responsibility when things go wrong. We find very few people in authority in the government or the corporate world owning up their mistakes. Only when we accept where we went wrong do we have the ability to learn from it.

Thought for the day: A Christian must be willing to own up whether things go right or wrong!

Pray: Lord Jesus, help me to have the right kind of attitude in my work. Prosper the work of my hands that others may see and glorify you. Give me the courage to take responsibility for my mistakes and learn from them.