Before the Gaze of God

“For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light” (Mark 4:22).

It’s amazing how much we live with the quiet assumption that we can have secret lives.  There’s no such thing.  There are only those secrets that are known today, and those that are discovered later.

The illusion of secrecy springs from the illusion of control and avoidance of consequences.  I want to do what I want to do, without having to face the consequences of my actions should they be negative.  I also want to hold on to my insecurities my false beliefs – those things that keep me tethered to a fear of failure or a fear of rejection.

Good luck with that.

Proverbs says repeatedly that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Where does the fear of the Lord start?  With the awareness that the Lord knows everything, including the contents of your heart.  Since He does, fearing Him means acknowledging that, and allowing Him to judge the thoughts and intents of your heart now, rather than later.  You may find that what you gloss over, He convicts.  You may also find that you’re feeling awkward about something He delights in.

How would it change your life if you lived it all before the gaze of God first, then knowing you would be accountable to others as well?

Live a life worthy of examination.  That’s what accountability is all about – being answerable, and expecting to give an answer whenever necessary.  That flies in the face of a shame-driven or a control-driven, excessively private life.  But accountability done right is a gateway to wisdom that you won’t get any other way.

Tagged as: Accountability