In my Beth Moore lesson, DANIEL, it says godliness is never accidental. Neither is victory coincidental. Both stem from up-front, daily resolve.
C-o-n-s-i-s-t-e-n-c-y
Quoted:
“The lifeblood of integrity is becoming the same person no matter where we are – no matter who’s around. When we become people of integrity, everything we are on the inside is obvious on the outside. The Latin word for ‘integrity’ literally means ‘entire.’ The essence of the term is wholeness and completeness. Integrity is ‘the quality or state of being complete or undivided.’ You can see, therefore, how much integrity depends on consistency. Integrity not only calls us to live inside-out, It keeps the outside from coming in. Consistency in our walk and in our talk become a transportable cloak of protection around us, going anywhere we go. Life become so much simpler when there aren’t so many costume changes.”
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“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23, NIV)
My Mother taught me the above scripture as a child and when I think otherwise it surely comes flooding back in my mind and backbone. Consistency also reminds me of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This was on my 12″ wood ruler that I used in all my elementary grades and it has remained a main stay rule in my life. I am a believer in consistency!
When I think of consistency, I think of this part of the definition of consistent: steady continuity; free from variation or contradiction.
To me, a consistent person would be a person of moderation, which brings me back to Sara’s June 17th blog on ‘Moderation in All Things’.
God is a rock, He’s consistent in character and action. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
When I read the part of Rena’s blog that talked about not so many costume changes…I found that, in the practical sense that is also true. Producing many plays and musicals in the school system calls for efficiency and consistency when herding over 100 students at a time into a smooth production. One thing I have learned in these experiences is that the fewer costume changes we have and the fewer times we open and close the curtain the smoother the whole production goes, the calmer the students remain in their roles and the happier the audience is with the flow. And so I have gotten to the point where the students don their costumes at the beginning of the show and keep them on for the duration of the play. No switching, except in extreme cases where there is a particularly exceptional costume that must be shared with another character. But on the whole ….no costume changes is a good spiritual and practical core value.
In the spiritual sense we could add NO MASK CHANGES, either. How we appear to one person may not be how we appear to another, not only their perception of us, but not changing our demeanor with different people to either accommodate our own or their perception of how we want to appear to them. To quote Shakespeare:
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.
Jesus came to free us from our SELVES so that we wouldn’t have to put on an act, anymore. He has shown us how much worth we have in His eyes through what He did on the cross. We must stop PLAY-acting and as Rena says, ACT with integrity and honor.
Hopefully we stand as individuals with integrity and our inside-outside character are the same. I had a dream that really relates to what MG said above. We were all entering this huge arena. When I looked around most people had Raggedy Ann mask on (this was a much beloved doll of my season of growing up). Only a few people in the arena dared be themselves. Even when they were called on stage they wore the Raggedy Ann mask. I remember wondering if I had the mask or not. If we are sold out to Jesus we best not be wearing a mask – I’d say this is being double minded, wishy washy, not able to stand up for what you believe in, double minded. In Matthew 10:33 it says “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Also Titus 1:16 says They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Again may our inner self line up with our outself as we journey through life. No extra baggage of mask or costumes.
That is a profound dream, Rena, and a spiritual message, as you expounded on it, above. Some of us play act so much, we really don’t know WHO we are. And what’s more, some of us don’t really want to find out who we are because we are sure we would be regarded as not worth much, or that we would not even like ourselves. So we put on like we are someone else or something else, while all the time deceiving and being deceived…(2Tim. 3:13).The “show ” must go on!!
But Paul tells us that while we were yet sinners Jesus Christ died for us. Even in the dregs of our sinfulness He purchased us back from the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the light of His dear Son. We are worth a lot. We are worth the lowering Himself to come to earth, crucifixion, death and resurrection of God’ Son. That is priceless! We can stand up in our integrity like David did when he said I have walked in my house with integrity and have not sinned in my heart against YOU. And David was not born again in the sense of Christ’s bloody redemption. So how much more power have we, in whom God dwells by His Holy Spirit?
Why would we want to be anything else except the person that Jesus came to earth and died for so that He could keep us with Him for eternity? Who would want to be anyone else but the redeemed child of the Lord?
Integrity not only calls us to live inside-out. It keeps the outside from coming in. As I was reading this, I though of a boat in the water. As long as it is taken care of and it has a strong hull, the water will stay on the outside. If the hull has a weak place, the water’s pressure will cause the weak place to collapse. The hull begins to fill with the outside water until it is consumed and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. The damaged hull is soon part of a watery graveyard full of damaged hulls. If we walk around this world with a weak spirit, the pressures of the world will soon collaspe the weak area. Our spirit will be consumed by the world and overtaken. We will the sink to the bottom of the dreaded pitt, with the other weak spirits. Our spirits will lie at the bottom of that firey pitt for eternity. We need to strengthen our spirit with the Holy Spirit. We need to armor our souls with God’s Word. Consistancy in the Lord: interity. Thicken the barrier to the world. We are at war with the enemy. We must be prepared at all times. Be CONSISTANT……. Be ready!
Great example chickenfarmer. Just like hull needs its covering intact, so we need our spiritual armor intact and to be prepared and standing with it on. ”
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12
Chickenfarmer, you are very graphic with your illustrations of an unregenerate life. We sure need to get in the army of defensive tactics.
CF I guess you could say that an unspiritual hull warns of a spiriual hell. The Bible says to guard our hearts with all diligence because out of it flow the issues of life….and we could say that into it try to flow the issues of the material world with which we need not concern ourselves, unduly. Like you said, they can take you over and sink your ship!
What a great lesson on consistency. Now, for me to put it into ACTION…..CONSISTENTLY!
Yes, Needles, I agree that consistency takes action….not just thinking about it, but doing it….time and time again…in season and out of season. The Apostle Paul said we had to ‘practice’ the things he was teaching about the Lord in order to stay in peace consistently.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Phillipians 4:4-9
When the time drew near for Jesus to be crucified, the bible say He set His face like a flint to go to Jerusalem where He, it was written in the prophets in Psalm 22 and in Isaiah 53.was to be sacrificed. Even though it was going to be the toughest job, He set His face to go. In fact every step of Jesus’ life was a consistent, determined, focused march toward the one big assignment for which He was sent. Jesus made every rung on the ladder to His destiny work for Him toward that goal. And He conquered it and the success of it has changed the world for eternity.
Yes, Debi, it does take action….action that I sure fall short of sometimes. I need blogs like this one, and the comments that we all share to help encourage this consistency.
I agree Needles. What a blessing to fellowship daily, any time, any hour right here on The Daily Lily.
I was reminded of this scripture by what you said:
“We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.” Hebrews 10:25