by Sandy Kirby Quandt

Whenever Bear rides in the car and we slow down to speak with someone inside the open window of a building, he has certain expectations. Because of past experiences with drive-through restaurants, Bear expects the person at the window will hand him a puppy cup full of creamy vanilla soft serve Dairy Queen ice cream when we reach them. Usually, Bear is correct about what he can expect, but not always.

The bank teller does not hand out puppy cups. Neither do the employees at the taco restaurant, nor does the pharmacist at the drug store. Each time we pull away from one of these places without his puppy cup, Bear looks at us as if to say we forgot something. His disappointment is evident. Bear’s expectations were not met, and he can’t understand what happened.

The inconsistency between driving to an open window and receiving a puppy cup, compared with going through the exact same motions and not receiving a puppy cup can be downright cruel.

Who knows? This inconsistency could cause Bear to distrust and be disillusioned. But drive-through windows are not the only inconsistencies in life. People can also be inconsistent in their behavior and in their speech.

Whether we like it or not, if we call ourselves followers of Jesus, people expect certain behaviors from us. They also expect us to refrain from certain behaviors. Just as Bear faces inconsistencies when the person inside the drive-through window does not give him a puppy cup, when those watching how we live come face to face with inconsistencies between how the Bible says we should act, and how we act, it can leave those watching us confused, distrusting, and disillusioned. They expect one thing, but see something totally different.

Christians are told to be salt and light to a world in darkness. Praise and cursing should not come from the same mouth. We are to live in such a way others are drawn closer to Christ. We must know Jesus and who he is before we can be like him. That only happens when we study how the Bible tells us to live, and actually do it.

When people drive up to our window expecting to receive a puppy cup, that’s exactly what we should give them.

How do you stay consistent in your walk with God?

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Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? James 3:10-11 (NIV)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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