Codes for Christian Living
Hold People Accountable
Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord. . . .Malchijah the son of Harim and Hashub the son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section, as well as the Tower of the Ovens. . . . After them the Tekoites repaired another section, next to the great projecting tower, and as far as the wall of Ophel.
—NEHEMIAH 3:5, 11, 27
Talk about holding people accountable for their assigned task . . . Nehemiah knew who worked next to whom and where each of them worked. He knew who did the work, and he also knew who didn’t do the work. He recorded for all posterity that “the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord” (Nehemiah 3:5). He also took note of those who went above and beyond the call of duty, and he recorded those who “repaired another section” (3:27).
Holding others accountable is essential for anyone who expects to succeed in the art of delegation. There will always be those who start out in the rebuilding process, but do not finish their specific tasks. This was true of some in Nehemiah’s time, and it is still true with us today. After taking note of the neglect by some, Nehemiah simply moved forward with the task ahead and moved with the movers. He stayed on track and remained optimistic in the rebuilding task. He did not allow those who faltered and floundered along the way to discourage him.
Many of us never succeed in rebuilding because the word accountability is lost to our vocabulary. This lack of accountability is at the heart of many marriage failures. It is the reason relationships are broken and never healed. It is the reason projects fail. And it also explains why some businesses falter while others flourish.
When it comes to personal relationships, we all need someone to whom we are accountable. Someone who will remind us of God’s standards and give a gentle nudge—or shove—when we stray from those standards. Without such a friend, the result is often self-reliance, self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, and self-centeredness, rather than God-centeredness. This sort of accountability is the “ability” to be open and to allow a small number of trusted friends to speak the truth in love into your life. Nehemiah was wise enough to know that in order to be accountable himself, he had to be transparent with true friends and allies, like the king. We all need someone with whom we can open our hearts in honesty and transparency. This vulnerability carries with it the potential to be wounded, but it is both essential and imperative.
Nehemiah could hold his people accountable because they knew he was loyal, affirming, forgiving, and committed to each of the workers stretched along the Jerusalem wall.
Content drawn from The Nehemiah Code: It's Never Too Late for a New Beginning.