The Value of Accountability


2:19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.


With this verse we begin the fourth section of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. After his initial personal greetings and encouragements (1:1-11), the second section informed them of his personal affairs (1:12-26). In the third section he spoke about their situation, exhorting them to live lives worthy of Christ (1:27-2:18).


The fourth section is Paul’s discussion about three upcoming visits: Timothy’s in v.19-23, his own in 24, and the visit of Epaphroditus in v.25-30.


Epaphroditus is the one who is carrying this letter back to Philippi for Paul, so he is about to leave Paul in Rome and head back home to Philippi. And Paul hopes that before too long he will be released from chains in Rome and be able to visit Philippi himself. But Paul is anxious about what is happening in the Philippian church. Very gently he has admonished the Philippian believers in this letter to get their act together, in particular to stop disputing and start preferring one another. He is hoping this letter by God’s grace fixes the problem. He is hoping to send Timothy to them soon to find out.


But there is another underlying purpose in Paul’s mind for sending Timothy. As is apparent in numerous places in his epistles, Paul understands the value of accountability. He is helping the Philippians to be more responsive to the admonitions in this letter by telling them his delegate Timothy is likely to show up soon to check in on them.


Accountability is a very useful and a very loving thing. All of us need it. This is one of the reasons God has put us into His church instead of allowing us to live our Christian lives alone. This is one of the reasons why He has given us parents and spouses and friends and leaders. It is so easy for us to ignore our sin or even justify it. We are all prone to have our own personal idols that we are blind to but others can easily see. Since I don’t love your idol and you don’t love mine, we are often better at giving each other feedback than we can give ourselves. We all do better when we know that someone is going to check in on us.


But Paul understands that accountability is not easy for everyone to receive. And so he does two things to grease the way to make it as easy for the Philippians to accept as possible. First, he tells them of his optimistic expectation: "so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition." And then, since Paul is sending Timothy because he himself can right now come in person, he assures them in v.20 of Timothy’s concern for their welfare.


Accountability can be done harshly, but real, Biblical accountability, as we see here, is loving and thoughtful. Heartless, unloving accountability and non-existent accountability in the name of love are Satanic counterfeits that do not help but destroy.


Tender Shepherd, thank You that Your eye is always upon me. Thank You for the people You have sent throughout my life to remind me that You are watching. Forgive me for the times I have been defensive. Help me, Lord, to love Your people enough to do my part in providing the loving accountability they need. Forgive me for the ways I have let my own self-interests hold me back from getting involved in the lives of Your people. Forgive me for all the times I should have said something and didn’t. Forgive me for all the times I have spoken without much love. Forgive me for all the good I didn’t do that I could have done if only I had been more like Christ. Please fill me with Your love, Lord.