remaining in the light

just how far would you go to be accountable for your actions?

assuming we all tangle with sin, and your blog hostess is no different than anyone else save for the fact that she blogs about it and puts it out there for everyone (including her little brother, now...) to read about it, i am wondering just how far you would go to keep yourself from that *thing* that so easily ensares you?

i have on-going discussions with a very dear friend of mine who struggles with pornography. he has had issues with it in the past and felt it wise to place a filter on his computer at home and has an accountability partner with whom he is in communication with, and for those moments he circumvents his barriers, this filter sends an email to his friend who is immediately notified of his activities. at work, he cannot partake in this particular sin (addiction?) because he would lose his position, so that is reason enough not to even *go there*.

however, he knows himself pretty well and has found when he is away on business, there are no filters on the wifi hook-ups in his hotel rooms, nor are there guards on the television sets and has found that the temptation is very great when he is away on business and has stepped up his level of accountability -- he now sends his hotel receipts to his accountability partner and along with the receipts and the email notifications in place, his partner now has the very solemn responsibility of alerting my friend's wife of his activities should he backslide.

i was blown away when he informed me of all of this -- i recently posted about our having to maintain a sterile environment when in surgery, having a good surgical conscience, further musing about what our world would be like if we employed the same standards to our Christian walk. my friend has stepped up to the plate on his walk because he acknowledges his weaknesses and his wife finding out about his particular sin is mortifying enough to have him employ such drastic measures to remain in the light. back in november, a blogger friend of mine posted similarly - do we not all wish to remain in the light?

as for my particular sin, i could not (would not? scared to??) employ such stringent techniques; however, he suggested i have someone that i trust to tell my sins (other than my priest in confessional) to that would be obligated to report them back to ~~ whomever it is i am offending, most likely my husband ~~ and i don't know if i am ready for that. the threat of my husband finding out what my particular issue is again is mortifying to say the least; but if i screw up in real life (not just in my mind or my heart) -- would i want to be called on the carpet for it and have it potentially ruin my marriage?

just how far would you go to be accountable and remain in the light of Christ? are you not tired of stumbling and fumbling around in the darkness, so much so that you would do anything it took to remain in the light?

i count my friend among the bravest of souls to be so devoted to staying on the narrow path and i love him for it. he walks with Christ closer than anyone else i know and i do not think he even sees it in his humility. he is closer than a brother to me and someone i could not hold a candle to, i admire him so very much.

why am i not so brave?

Jesus calls us to Himself. He calls us, kicking and screaming, but is such a Gentleman, He would never force us to walk with Him if we choose not to. it is so warm in the light. so warm. why can we not just see the path through the trees and not keep turning our back to walk the other way? why not, instead, turn our faces toward the Son and feel His warmth?

are you so brave?