Generational Accountability

Free-speech advocate Zechariah Chafee once wrote, "The press is a sort of wild animal in our midst—restless, gigantic, always seeking new ways to use its strength. . . . The sovereign press for the most part acknowledges accountability to no one except its owners and publishers."

Accountable to no one? That's a dangerous place to be. Freedom without responsibility produces terrible results. A rebellious child. An unfaithful husband. An arrogant, abusive CEO. A tyrannical government dictator. A loose cannon on the church staff.

All of us are accountable to someone.

Teachers are accountable. "We who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1), for our ideas and habits reproduce themselves in the minds and lifestyles of our students. "Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40).

Church leaders are accountable. "They keep watch over you as men who must give an account" (Hebrews 13:17).

Parents are accountable to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6).

Employees are accountable—and so are bosses. "The ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being Christian doesn't cover up bad work. And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don't forget for a minute that you, too, serve a Master—God in heaven" (Colossians 3:24–4:1, The Message).

All Christians are accountable to be careful stewards of the three "Gs":

(1) Gospel. Our greatest treasure is the good news of Christ. Paul observed that the apostles were "servants of Christ . . . entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2, New International Version).

(2) Goods. Our material resources don't belong to us; they belong to God. "So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" (Luke 16:11).

(3) Gifts. Freedom is meant for service, not for sin; and our talents are tools to build up the body of Christ. "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10).

There's also another kind of stewardship we could call generational accountability. The Bible says, "For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep" (Acts 13:36). We aren't designed to drift along in a selfish pursuit of personal happiness. We're here to fulfill God's purpose in our generation before we die.

We're accountable to pass God's Word and God's ways along to the next generation. If we ignore the young, we shirk our responsibility to the future. Psalm 71:18 says, "Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come."

President Ronald Reagan told about a boy who asked his mother, "Remember that old vase?"

"Which one?" she wondered.

"The really old one."

"You mean the priceless old vase that's been handed down in our family from generation to generation?"

"Yes," the boy replied sheepishly, "and this generation just dropped it!"

The Lord wants every generation to be faithful and fruitful, handling his precious gospel with care. We must not be the generation that drops it.