Unequally Yoked

    When you hear the term "unequally yoked" you might think of the bibles view of marriage or you might be like me and automatically think of eggs. Well sadly eggs and theirs insides have nothing to do with being unequally yoked. If you break down this lesson to first understand the meaning of being yoked you will find that it literally means a device that's used to draw together two animals that are mainly oxen. If you look farther down into the definition it also says that a yoke is a frame fitting the neck and shoulders of a person, for carrying a pair of buckets with one at each end. Take that meaning of being "yoked" and keep right in the back of your mind while we look at the dictionary's word for "unequal". Even though we might think this definition is simple because something that is unequal is just simply something that's not equal. But did you know the being unequal is also defined as not having an adequate amount, power, or ability and it is also unjust? So lets put this altogether. To be unequally yoked is defined as...being drawn to something without justification without having adequate power or ability. To me that still just looks weird and confusing plus it doesn't show any proof of being connected to the bible itself. So lets dig deeper.

   At some point in our spiritual journey I'm sure we have been told or heard that you need to connect with those of the church. Being close to your church and being able to connect to those associated with it is becoming yoked with the followers of Christ. Now not all of you may go to church and may still be believers...but ask yourselves if you are yoked to the body of Christ? And I don't mean the actual body of Christ I mean his people in which make up his body. Just because you are yoked to one or many other followers, doesn't mean that that bond is sticking together. This is where the whole being unequally yoked thing comes into play. Taking too opposite things, such as good and evil, and forcing to join will not make a harmony of voices. Things that are opposite are designed apart from one another. And many people on earth choose to take part in something that goes against themselves. This action is seen is the bible most frequently such as when God had to warn his people to not to intermarry the pagan people of the Promised land. A way this is often described today is being warned about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and sex. You might be thinking..." okay, so if my best friend drinks alcohol when they shouldn't or take part in sexual activity when they aren't married yet. That means I am a bad person because I should associate myself with that?" To be totally honest is thought that if one hung out with those that do drugs and alcohol then that makes you a bad person until now. I have shed some light on that because not everyone that hangs out with those kinds of people do the acts that they do. But to counteract that, the people you hang out with describe you the most because you choose to spend your time with them and whatever they choose to do. If those you are always with don't engage in things of your interests and beliefs than what is your relationship? And just because someone engages in bad decisions doesn't mean that they can't change. If we want to change the bad things in this world we have to associate with them. If you get anything from today's lessons, remember this. God calls to be equally yoked in him and his word through our religion. He simply does say that he wants us to abide with those that are rooted in Christ when it comes to our friends and loved ones. This shows how much God cares about us because he knows how tempting the "non-religious" can be around a believer. Now this doesn't mean that we cant ever talk to someone who isn't a believer it just means that we need to be yoked (bound to another thing...which should be a stable thing) to a bother in Christ especially when it comes to love. We need to be able to be connected to another in Christ because the people of the church are often described as a separate people from the rest. That sounds very rude and racists towards non-believers but we are different. We view life in a totally different light which affects every single thing that we do. I would say that has a pretty big impact. So make sure that you are not unequally yoked with your life, friends, and loved ones. If you are married to or in a relationship with a non-believer, or even if your considering dating a non-believer...evaluate your motives and theirs. I am not saying in anyway that they are bad people. Just remember that the bible calls that being unequally yoked which makes you falling apart. Strive to keep your mind and heart kept together for the sake of the Lord because going through difficult times is worth being equally yoked. And one last word to all the teenagers. If your thinking that the one friend or loved one is okay to be with even though they aren't a believer. Think about it through the mind of God...you will spend most of your time with that person and this is the stage where you are most vulnerable to giving into pressure. Just because things may not work out because of the unequal yoke between the two doesn't mean that your ways of life took a foot hold in that persons mind.



Word of the Day: “You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods.“They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
                    ~Exodus 23:32-33