Oxford Languages defines “consistency” as, “the achievement of a level of performance that does not vary greatly in quality over time”. My husband, who is a Sheriff’s deputy, told me one day, “You are predictable”. I didn’t know how to take that at first, seeing how the world likes to put emphasis on being spontaneous and adventurous. He further explained that it was a compliment paid with the highest regard. After a day on the job, with all kinds of chaos and uncertainty and mayhem, it’s nice to know what he’s coming home to. God tells us that consistency matters to Him too.
The devil likes to distract us and make us think that the daily decisions we make which express kindness, self-sacrifice, service, and love don’t matter. Those small choices are too small to notice. The reality is, however, that in those millions of small moments we are living out our faith. Whether alone or in company, we are developing character patterns in the small moments that will manifest in the big moments.
Rarely will anyone have the chance to see us do something huge and phenomenal; maybe we never do something huge and noteworthy. That’s okay. The world can’t be plumb full of professional speakers, bloggers, etc always doing something huge. The world goes around smoother when Christ-followers make their little corner of the world a better place to be through small consistent acts of kindness and love. It is likely that people living life alongside us will notice if we held our tongue against a biting remark, helped someone pick up the materials she dropped, paid attention to someone without distraction or rushing them through, or sat with someone who was hurting. It’s the small moments and the continual choices to do good that matter to people.
Making a choice to hold your tongue one time is hard. The offense might be big, but the more you choose to withhold that, probably much deserved, comeback, people notice that you are patient and perhaps you’re kind too. You become known as one with self-control. The one time was impressive, but the continued choice time after time proves a pattern, a personality trait. A kingdom trait.
Consider this, especially if you have children around the house with you. You are going through your current situation to refine something in you, but you are also being asked to be an example for your children. It’s in the consistency and through the pattern that we demonstrate the love of Jesus.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control- these fruits are demonstrated over time. The watching world won’t know there is anything different about us until they see day after day these fruits maturing in our lives and most convincingly when they are present while we are experiencing trying times.
The picture of Jesus, standing as a sheep before its sheerer being silent is striking. The moment on the cross when He asks the Father not to hold His crucifiers responsible is otherworldly. But these two traits were demonstrated from the onset of His ministry. From the beginning, the religious leaders of the day gave Him practice holding His tongue and practicing forgiveness. Jesus’ entire earthly ministry show examples self-control and forgiveness.
It’s not just in these two passionate moments that Jesus proves His character. His entire ministry proves the consistency of His pattern. His kingdom traits. We are called to live the same way. With consistency. No matter the circumstance. No matter the situation. He’s given us the example, told us the expectations, and He provides the ability to live accordingly through the power of the Spirit.
Don’t despair in the situations that feel small. It feels like you’re living the same thing over and over and over again. Perhaps He’s doing refining work, probably, but maybe He’s also using this time in your life to speak to a watching soul about the necessity of consistency.
God can do a lot through a person willing to offer the small life she has for His big purposes. Think how much he did with Moses’ staff, the boy’s five loaves and two fish, David’s five small stones. We don’t have to have a whole bunch to be usable to God. He can take the small something which we are and touch the people around us. Maybe He’s just asking us to be consistent with the small things right now?
