October 2024 President's Message - "Lessons in Accountability from Everyday Life"

Recently, I have been thinking about the following question: If I were to try to identify the one common thread that overrides all others in how we live our lives in a Godly way, what would that be?

Once I came up with the answer, I realized how that quality impacts everything else in our daily lives and our interactions with others.

If you will allow me, I would like to use a couple of examples to depict this element that, in my opinion, is lacking in our current collective culture, not only in the United States but elsewhere around the world today. Here are the examples I have for you to consider as you determine if you can discern for yourself the common element in these examples.

I recently noticed a significant dent in the rear quarter panel of my vehicle. It wasn’t there the day before—it just magically appeared out of nowhere. How could this have happened, I asked myself? So, I began to review my activities from the day before. I hadn’t recalled any mishaps that could have caused the damage. However, I had been doing a lot of running around and parked in numerous different parking lots. Aha! Perhaps someone had backed into my vehicle and caused the damage. But why wouldn’t they leave me their contact information or wait until I came out of the store to inform me so that we could exchange information and get it taken care of? Or did they just not realize they had caused the damage and left without any recollection of hitting my vehicle? Well, that $780 repair bill had to come out of my pocket.

Another example is when I was driving the same vehicle and made a legal left turn on a green arrow light. As I was in the turn, another vehicle across the street turned right at a red light. I saw the car turning in my peripheral vision since I was already well into the turn. I tried to veer left, but there was an oncoming car in the opposite lane, so I couldn’t move too far out of the way. Once again, my vehicle was struck. We both pulled over and cordially exchanged information. Everything on her insurance card was in order, and since the damage didn’t seem too great, we decided not to call the police. I would merely inform my insurance company, give them her info, and get my car fixed—or so I thought. I did inform my insurance company of the accident, got the estimate for the repair as instructed, and scheduled the vehicle for the repair. I had the repair completed and paid my deductible. Shortly afterward, I received a call from the other driver’s insurance company stating that her insurance policy had been canceled just prior to the accident and that they were not responsible for the repairs. She was driving without insurance. My insurance carrier stated that they would be in contact with the other driver in an attempt to have her pay personally for the repair. After waiting one year for reimbursement, my carrier informed me in writing that they were unsuccessful in getting reimbursement from her and were closing the file.

I hope you can see the common thread between these two examples of the key element that was missing in the scenarios I have outlined for you here.

Yes, those of you who discerned that the missing element was “personal responsibility” are correct. These two individuals did not take the right path and admit that they had done something that negatively impacted another person’s life.

Now, if you would allow me, I would like to explore why this happens. The overarching reason is that they do not understand the biblical reasons why they should take responsibility for their actions. There are consequences for every interaction we engage in daily. Those consequences always impact not only the individual upon whom the act is performed but, perhaps even more importantly, the perpetrator of the act. The gnawing mental anguish that will last until the perpetrator makes amends for their actions can be life-altering in many ways. But even more importantly, that mark remains to be answered for in eternity. Our interactions with those around us, whether believers or not, will impact not only their lives but ours—not only in this life but, even more importantly, after this life is over.

The true answer to correcting the missing element of personal responsibility is to open our Bibles and read. This is where the answers regarding the consequences of our daily actions and activities are found. Beyond that, it comes down to parents teaching these principles to their children and others.

While I was disappointed in the actions of others in these two examples that I use here to depict this flaw, I am not mad at them nor do I hold any disdain for the perpetrators of these incidents. No, rather I feel sorry for them. I hope and pray that they have learned from the incidents. Who knows? Our paths may cross again, in which case they may be able to make restitution for their actions by merely admitting their personal responsibility. Or perhaps, through this experience, they may learn and not make the same mistake again.

It is not my duty to figure all that out. That task is well beyond my pay grade. But I know that He has it all under control, and that there were lessons to be taught and, hopefully, learned by both me and these other individuals that will aid us both later in life.

Dr. Pfeiffer