“A double-minded man is unstablein all his ways”! James 1:8
Wait!...What??... Unstable…???…
I am a mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, missionary, pastor’s wife,
teacher, author, speaker, etc… BUT the last title I want is… Double-Minded!
In the Princess Parable Series the story of Princess Hope comes from Matthew 13, The Hidden Treasure. She is called to “count the cost” if she is to find the REAL treasure! In her life lesson she learns to focus on God’s promises not the circumstances surrounding her. Her single-mindednessand loyalty to her grandmother, not to mention her determination with a lot of active creativity, become her constant companions and ultimately bring her reward and blessing.
What are the undeniable marks of a double-minded person?
Transparency reveals a:
· Fear of examination; fear of being transparent with others; a need to protect reputation
· Resistance to being vulnerable to the pain of exposure
· Plastic coating of pride, usually masked under the guise of some form of spirituality
· Hiding of sin, self and struggle
· Protection of personal impurities
· Secretiveness
Are you double-minded?
We are to be women of principle with loyal convictions, who cannot be bought and will not compromise. Loyalty is demonstrated in times of temptation and adversity. It is the first of 4 basic needs of mankind. There is a seed of loyalty programmed into each one of us by God.
Double-mindedness is disloyalty and springs from an independent spirit. An unbroken will is a cause of disloyalty and double-mindedness. The fruit is divorce, dissension, division, disharmony, distrust and …
We listen to double-minded philosophies all the time:
· I want to serve the Lord, but I don’t want to take responsibility for myself or my life
· I want to be a disciple, but I don’t want to be inconvenienced or have any discomfort
· I want to be a servant, but on my own time
· I have temporal values, but I am totally committed to God
· I want to be honest, but I don’t want to tell the truth, at least not the whole truth
· I want to be loved, but I won’t love freely in return or be vulnerable
· I want to be pure, but I don’t want accountability or to be corrected or examined
· I want to live morally pure, but I won’t submit my body to my spirit…it feels too good the other way
· I have a bitter spirit, but I don’t want to hear about it
· I want to be loyal, but I don’t want to be single-minded!
“A loyal woman is pre-eminently a woman of one thing. It is not enough to say that she is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted and fervent in spirit. She only sees one thing, she cares for one thing, she lives for one thing, she is swallowed up in one thing…and that one thing is to please God. Whether she lives or whether she dies; whether she has health or whether she has sickness; whether she is rich, or whether she is poor; whether she pleases man or whether she gives offense; whether she is thought to be wise or whether she is thought to be foolish; whether she gets blame or whether she gets praise; whether she gets honor or whether she gets the shame… for all this a loyal woman cares nothing at all. She burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God’s glory… This is what is meant when we speak of loyalty to the cross.” Bishop Ryle, 1959
When my life is over, will single-mindedness be my legacy?
Will I be known as a loyal servant of my God?
Will you???
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
