So I’m reading this morning
about Paul and his defense of his consistency, of being the same person whether present or absent. False apostles had been trying to stir up the Corinthians against him by saying, “‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” (2 Cor. 10:10) And it got me thinking about consistency. It’s one of the things we count on in life; we don’t want products or people to change (other than to get better).
So how does that apply to our Christian walk? I’ve never really thought about how important consistency is in our faith with respect to what others observe in us. But today it struck me as very important.
Part of the history of the word “hypocrite” is “a pretender, to play a part on stage.” We are new creatures in Christ, the old things passed away (II Cor. 5:17). So why do I sometimes still struggle with playing the part of my old self? It’s because I’m a work in progress; theology calls it sanctification.
How does one attain consistency? It starts with an awareness of who’s watching and a commitment to not play the chameleon. Actors have to please the director, the investors, and ultimately the audience. And we know they’re just playing a part. But as followers of Christ, our primary goal should be to please the audience of One. If we do that, others—and there are many—who may be watching will not see much, if any, difference between what we say (or write) and what we live out day to day.
We think of consistency
as something stable, unchanging regardless of changes in circumstances. The irony for the Christian is that we should be constantly changing, consistently becoming more like Jesus each day. Let’s face it, being a Christian isn’t easy. Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
The world, our flesh, and the devil don’t want us growing more like Christ. Temptation is all around. Idolatry is insidiously subtle and pulling us to go with the flow. The best thing we can do is keep our “sword” sharp. Spend time in God’s Word daily. Find a kindred spirit to share the journey with. We’re called the family of God. Families work and play together. King Solomon said, “Two are better than one… for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up” (Eccl. 4:9,10).
As you go through today,
ask yourself, “Am I consistent in my walk regardless of who’s looking? Do I need someone to lift me up or is there someone who needs me to do the lifting?” And sticky-note the word “consistency” where you’ll see it often.
Thanks for reading.