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Paper dolls, paper people that came with paper clothes and could be cut out and played with. They never were a very durable toy, but they could be printed on the back of a cereal box cheaply and kids could get a free toy to play with. What happened when two kids wanted to play with the doll? The problem with the dolls was they tore, then you ended up with half a doll. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit we often feel torn between the spiritual and the physical world that we live in. There are things about this world that we let pull us away from the spiritual things of God. We will often find ourselves trying to walk a line between our selfish desires and the loving selfless person that God wants us to be.
James warns us about these worldly attachments in some rather strong language. “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the spirit He has caused to dwell in us? But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the LORD, and He will lift you up” (James 4:4-10).
When we try to live a middle of the road, straddle the fence type of life, we are not pleasing to God. God wants all of you: Body, Mind, and Soul. When we try to live a “double-minded” life we will only end up with a life that is torn apart.
Brad Tolbert
Monticello church of Christ
Monticello, AR