To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

 

James 1:5-8 NIV

 

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

 

Have you ever thought about what it means to be double-minded?  One definition might be a person that lacks faith… but it also means to have one’s loyalty divided.  One part of the person says he wants to follow Jesus… but the other part of him won’t give up the world in order to do so.

 

The story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19 is a perfect example of a double-minded person:

 

    Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

    "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

    "Which ones?" the man inquired.    

    Jesus replied, " ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’"

    “All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

    Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

    When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

    Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God ."  Matthew 19:16-24 NIV

 

It was not this young man’s wealth that was the problem… it was this young man’s unwillingness to put his wealth second to Jesus that kept him from being saved. 

 

It’s pretty easy to be double-minded.  There are a lot of distractions – or there can be.  Combating loneliness can lead a single person to the singles bars.  (Now there’s a great place to find a Christ-centered relationship, isn’t it?)  Desire for things can focus our minds on our jobs and making money instead of serving Him.  Desire for popularity can keep us from standing up for Jesus for fear of losing friends.  There are any number of things that can make us shift our focus to the world and away from Jesus.  After all, the world is right here, where we can touch it, hear it, feel it, smell it.  It’s a lot noisier… more demanding of our attention… and much more enticing.

 

It follows that if we’re more focused on the world than on our Lord, when we do pray, we are going to doubt.  If we aren’t abiding in the Lord – staying tuned in to Him 24 hours a day – we aren’t going to develop the faith we need to believe in the answer to our prayers being given.

 

I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if I make decisions on my own, without asking the Lord’s help, they’re usually going to be stupid decisions.  I’ve proven it to myself time and again.  But when I’m walking with the Lord on a daily basis, seeking His face continually, and asking for wisdom in my decisions, they are always right; they are always wise.

 

Take the eleventh step in learning to live by faith and determine never to be double-minded again, either in your faith or in your focus.  Stay tuned in to Jesus 24 hours a day.