Ambivalent
English class was never my favorite , but if i didn’t learn anything else, i learned what a “noun” was … a “person, place or thing.” Y’ever just thought about the “ambivalence” of a person, place or thing ? Uh-Oh…i just lost some o’ y’all 🤣. Lemme save you time … “Ambivalent” def.: To have both positive and negative feelings or aspects regarding a certain thing.” In other words, the person, place or thing can be both “good” and “bad”for us. Case in point … the “emergency / parking brake” on a vehicle… it can be good to hold that vehicle still or keep it from rolling when you don’t need it to. But, it can be bad when you leave it engaged and drive that same vehicle down the road. It’s called, “operator error”, and it ain’t good for the vehicle at all. What about that anchor on your boat ? It’s great when it holds your boat still while you’re fishin or hangin out with friends who surround your boat with theirs … but, it ain’t good when you decide to head up river and you forget to roll it back up. Certain people can be both good and bad for us, also. That same person that you always hung out with that didn’t care ‘bout nothin or nobody…was intent on destroying their body with foreign substances and illicit living, may’ve seemed good or fun at that time, but now that you’ve matured and have a family and responsibilities, that same person probably ain’t the one you need to be hangin with. “Bad company corrupts good morals”( 1 Corinthians 15:33 ). That pool hall or beer joint used t’ be “the place” … all your “friends” could be found there and life was good … but, shootin pool wasn’t all that was goin on there. There was alotta immoral activity that was taking place and the occasional fight was common, due that same immoral activity. Some places are best, avoided . If living a God-honoring lifestyle is our goal, certain people, places and things will need to be avoided and left in our past ! God gave us a whole list of reasons why being “unequally yoked” will never work ( 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ). He also gave us the perfect recipe for living a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him … He calls them, “ The Ten Commandments” ( Exodus 20:1-17 ) … “Respect your coworkers and them that have authority over you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. Warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire, don’t treat prophesies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 ). “ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do ; for it is written, “ Be holy, because I am holy” ( 1 Peter 1:14-16 ). The “ambivalent nouns” in this life will either draw us into a closer relationship with Christ, or, they’ll kill our chances of ever becoming more Christlike. It’s up to you / me which one we want more.