Consistency, thou art a Jewel

James 5:12  … let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay.

If there is one thing that brings deep hurt to God, it is when His people will not stand up for truth, consistently.

We all know someone who acts and speaks one way in one environment, and another way in another environment. Someone who says they believe one way when certain folks are around, and another way when others are around. Standing here one day and standing there the next day.

It would seem that they have no backbone whatsoever. They could be best described as a yo-yo. Up and down…. Up and down. Lots of movement, but going nowhere!

Such inconsistent persons are always unstable in their day to day life, their emotional life, and particularly in their spiritual lives. At times, they make high proclamations and claims of commitment to Christ and His teachings, but when the rough times come, and the pressure is put on, they flounder in wind, giving in to their present environment. They are either up on the spiritual mountain, professing to the “high heaven” or deep in the valley of despair.

They lack consistency…. And that is what God is looking for in His people.

To illustrate, when we flip the light switch to the “on” position, we fully expect the light bulb in the room to come on.  Why? Because this is something that we have come to expect having experienced the association of the light switch to the light bulb.

But, have you ever noticed what often happens just before a light bulb burns out?

Usually, there is a sudden burst of light for a millionth of a second (even burning brighter than it normally does) and then everything goes dark. The sudden explosion of light is followed by the desperate search for a new light bulb. Once that filament in the light bulb breaks, that little hair like wire between the two thin posts, and the flow of the electrical current passing through it ends. Anyone nearby experiences a taste of inconsistency. None of us would want our living rooms to be lit with pulsating strobe lights or flashing bulbs! We require a steady consistent light to properly see. We dislike those times of inconsistency when a light bulb decides to go out with a blaze of glory and then leave us stranded in the midst of darkness.

Likewise, some people seem have an occasional burst of spiritual energy or a claim of spiritual insight, but alas, they fall into darkness because they failed to consistently stand up for truth and walk in the light of God’s Word.

What is the solution for such an inconsistent person? Paul gives us great admonition in Ephesians 6:13-14, “take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand…”

Simply, stand.

Or as Alexander Hamilton said, “Those who stand for nothing, fall for anything.

Paul further taught us in Ephesians 4:14-15, “be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”

Consistently speaking the truth in love is not always an easy thing to do, but it is absolutely necessary if we are to experience the proper spiritual growth that is necessary to reach adulthood.

The spiritual floundering can stop. The inconstancies can come to an end. But you must take action to make that happen. No one can do it for you.