[God] delights in people who are trustworthy.
—Proverbs 12:22
A plaque on Harry Truman’s desk in the Oval Office was inscribed: “The buck stops here.” President Truman wanted to be clear that he understood his responsibility as the nation’s chief executive: that he was morally accountable for his actions.
Pontius Pilate didn’t make the accountability cut. He was convinced that Jesus was innocent, but pressured by mob influence, he caved in.
In a cowardly attempt to avoid responsibility, Pilate symbolically washed his hands, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood”—then “handed him over to be crucified” (Mt 27:26).
Takeaway: Accept responsibility for your choices, words, and actions. “Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Rom 14:12).
The right thing to do and the hard thing to do
are often the same.