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 The
man in Christ is exactly where he needs to be. That is where he
needs to stay. Remaining in that relationship takes what I have
chosen to call STAYBILITY--staying with what is right at all
times and at all costs. For a lack of staying-ability many
Christians have turned back to a wrong life, liberalism or
false-religion.
Staybility
is needed in the time of temptation. None are exempt from the
allurements and enticements that would pull us away from the
Lord. Joseph wasn't. Yet he exemplifies the kind of staybility
we all need in asking, "how then can I do this great
wickedness and sin against God?" (Gen. 39:9). For him, and
often for us, staybility may mean fleeing. If so, we'd best
quickly take the "exit" pro-vided by the Lord
(1Cor.10: 13). Many temptations come as the result of keeping
the wrong kind of company (1 Cor. 15:33). Staying with the Lord
may require leaving evil companions. As Paul warns, "be not
deceived". Many Christians are. They think their
indiscriminate mixing with the world won't hurt, but it always
does. Liver so gradually, resistance to temptation is weakened;
spiritual values become diluted; what seems like staying is
drifting--and often so deceptively as to be denied. Accordingly,
staybility is complimented by honest self-examination (2 Cor.
13:5).
Staybility
is needed when things go wrong between brethren. Here, it may
mean staying instead of leaving, as brethren often do. Those who
jump up and leave at the slightest rumble prove themselves
undependable and are likely to become
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church "floaters" or spiritual
dropouts. Staybility means longsuffering, kindness, forbearance,
love and forgiveness--none of which can be expressed by the
impulsive quitter. Personal differences need not mean division;
should not; and will not where there' is staybility in humility!
Those with super-sensitive feelings will seldom be without
something to take offense at in the midst of fault-laden
brethren. But leaving changes little more than the scenery.
Staying (staybility) can help them and their weak brethren to be
stronger if they so will it and work at it.
Staybility
is needed in times of discouragement. Most will admit to being
vulnerable here. Much of it comes from dwelling on past
failures, sins and weaknesses; in remembering what is best
repented of and forgotten. Bad yesterdays cannot be relived so,
with Paul, we need to be "forgetting the things which are
behind, and (be) stretching forward to the things which are
before..." (Phi1.3: 13). The staybility is strengthened by
forget-ability. But even then, discouragement can come from
elsewhere. It may come from brethren who know better but won't
do better; it may come from the criticizers and complainers; or
it may even come as the result of feeling unwanted or unneeded.
Like Elijah, we may feel like throwing in the towel. But God
says, "STAY!” "be not weary in well-doing";
"be stedfast, unmovable". He wants for us a staybility
that is above the influence of men and circumstance. And He
deserves it! Dan S. Shipley
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