The very few.

"Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." -James 1:8

I'm thinking. About women. And can I just confess? Sometimes...women, drive me nuts. And yes, that would include the all three personification's of Nicki: me, myself and I. {wink}

I remember when I was a little girl we had a car that had these two side-view mirrors... well, wait a minute, every car has two side-view mirrors...ahem...Anyway, I remember that in little white writing on the mirrors it read, "Warning, objects in mirror may appear closer than they are".

Not completely sure why of all the grand spectrum of words from my childhood I read, that those particular white-vinyl letters have stuck with me for 20-something years...but never-the-less...they have. {smiles}

While I was learning how to read I would always look at those 10 perfected words each day while we were driving trying to sound them out. Some day's, I would get it wrong. My dad or mom would call it out to me and I'd try it again. But then one day...I just read it {or I had memorized it} but... it just came! I was thrilled!

Simple words. Simple meaning. Something...may look closer than it is.

Now as a woman dawning on the 30th year of my life, I am seeing those words in a whole new way. Sadly, I think as women we have perfected the art of making those 10 words stick to our souls tighter than any vinyl stick letters can stick on a side-view mirror.

The thing is...you and I...we have to know. We have to know that people see right through it. Right? We have to know that when it's obvious to the world around us that we are not consistent or stable in what we do...that people can see it!

When our loyalty is divided like this verse says, everyone in this world will be able to see it. We can fool a lot of people with our appearences, our words and even our emotions. But truly... stability, it's something that shows. It cannot be hidden too well. Because, stability is a good reflection of what is going on in our hearts.

This past year I have learned that loyalty is really not what I thought it was. It's really not sticking with someone through thick and thin. It's really not about picking a group and calling it your own. Or defending someone until you are blue in the face.

It's sticking to God and God's word, no matter what.

No matter what opportunities fade, what friendships are lost and no matter whose feelings get hurt. Never again will I say I am loyal to any person...only to my God. Because when we put our loyalty into a person, we are exactly like this verse says: "Divided between God and this world." People will let us down. People will make us believe their side. And people will fail to act as they appear to be. As I will too...many times in this life of mine.

However, if our loyalty only belongs to one God, one King and one Savior...loyalty will never even be an issue. Because when we are loyal to God, He makes all things stable. Emotions, feelings, thoughts, actions...everything is stable. Everything.

One of the things I love about my husband the most is that he is very predictable in his feelings. I really have never looked at him and gone, "Good grief he is unstable right now!" How many times has he looked at me and thought that? Hmm, well perhaps there are just some things that should remain as unspoken. {smiles} Let's just say, opposites attract.

Jesus girls, it's time for us to grow up. It's time to put the big girl panties on and start living lives that are 100% stable in Christ. Sure we have these things called "hormones" battling everything in our souls to remain stable in Him, but with Christ anything is possible! Anything!! Stability, Hormones, Emotions and all....it's all possible.

And then, when we look in the mirror...we WILL appear as it is so. Closer to Jesus and closer to the call of Authenticity. That is a beautiful reflection, for sure. One that I want more than anything else in my life right now. Amen for reflections that show us the truth and allow us to grow in Him!

Putting my big girl panties on and taking a good look in the mirror today. {wink}

Much love in Him,

Nicki