Consistency

K-Lai — Tue, 25 Nov 2003 09:49:00 -0800

“I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. For some say, ‘His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.’ Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:9-11 (NIV)

We ought to be living a consistent life. Often we end up acting different in front of people compared to when they are far off. We are quiet, unassuming, nice, godly people on the surface, but as soon as there’s no one around, our selfish nature seems to surge out, and we start doing and thinking things we should not. We might praise someone publicly, but behind their backs gossip and slander. Paul’s case is not as extreme as hypocrisy. While people don’t take him seriously when he is with them in person, they become anxious because his letters to them are “weighty and forceful.” However, he gently reminds them that he and the other letter writers have not changed – the same way they would be in person is the same way they write letters, and the same way they write letters is the same way they would be in person.

So, we should work to be that way as well. Though some people are not very good at public speaking, the lives we live should still be in line with Scripture, and our private lives should reflect God as well. I’ve heard it said that integrity is what we do when only God is watching. It’s our aim, because our witness depends on the authenticity of our lives.

k-lai.com: Consistency

Consistency