“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.”
James 1:6-8
Why is it that we make requirements of others that we don’t keep ourselves?
Some Christians work hard to wipe out social evils like pornography, abortion, and homosexuality. But at the same time their personal morality leaves a lot to be desired. Then there are others who are personally righteous, watching their Ps and Qs at church and at home, but when it comes to their social ethics, it’s another story: racism and prejudice abound.
We cannot have one kind of ethic for ourselves and another for society. We cannot demand a strong morality in our culture and yet carry on with a personal morality — or immorality — which dishonors God.
What we do in private deeply affects what happens in public. The man who is faithful to his wife while exercising bigotry toward his neighbor is no better than the adulterer who crusades for social justice. What God requires is morality with a capital M, both personal and social. God calls for an ethic that is consistent. No matter how you look at it, nobody can have their ethical cake and eat it, too… without getting moral indigestion.
Father, reveal to me when I say one thing and do another. Show me the double standards in my life. I want You to be Lord of my thoughts and actions, who I am in private, and what I’m like in public.
