Hot Tamales, Mike and Ikes, and the Power of Consistency
What do Hot Tamales and Mike and Ikes have to do with following Jesus? More than you'd think.
Earlier this year, I had the chance to speak at a private school chapel, and we started with a simple—yet frustrating—illustration. Two students came up to the front and tried a handful of red candies, guessing what each one would taste like. Some were spicy (Hot Tamales), some sweet (Mike and Ikes), but all looked the same. As you might guess, they weren’t thrilled with the experience. The surprise wasn't fun—it was frustrating.
And that’s exactly the point.
In life, consistency matters. We don’t like being caught off guard or misled. Whether it's expecting sweet and getting spicy, or ordering a drink from your favorite coffee shop and getting something that tastes like cough syrup, inconsistency can be annoying—or even hurtful.
So what does that have to do with our faith?
God Is Always Consistent
Our world right now feels chaotic. People change their minds. Plans fall through. Even the most reliable systems let us down. But God? He never changes.
Scripture is full of reminders of God’s consistency:
“I the Lord do not change.” — Malachi 3:6
“God is not a man, that He should lie or change His mind.” — 1 Samuel 15:29
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” — Hebrews 13:8
This is good news. When everything around us feels uncertain, we can anchor ourselves in the unchanging character of God.
We’re Made to Reflect That Same Consistency
Genesis 1:27 tells us that we are made in God’s image. That means we’re designed to reflect His character—including His faithfulness and consistency.
And—get this—our chapel message just happened to fall on January 27. That’s right: 1.27. A perfect reminder of Genesis 1:27. Divine appointment? Absolutely, and it sure made the message stick.
Being consistent as a believer means that who we are on the outside matches who we are on the inside. That we’re not one person at church and someone totally different at work, school, home, or online.
John the Baptist calls this out in Matthew 3:8 when he says, “Produce fruit consistent with repentance.” He was talking to the Pharisees—people who looked religious on the outside but didn’t have hearts that truly loved God. They lacked consistency, and it showed.
Inconsistency Hurts Our Witness
James picks up the same idea in his letter:
“With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness… these things should not be this way.” — James 3:9–10
Inconsistency in character confuses people. It makes it hard to trust us. And when we’re claiming the name of Jesus, that kind of inconsistency doesn’t just reflect poorly on us—it reflects poorly on Him.
That’s why consistency isn’t just a nice idea—it’s part of our calling.
So What Does Consistent Faith Look Like?
When our hearts are surrendered to Jesus, our lives should produce fruit that shows it. The kind Paul talks about in Galatians 5:
Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.
These aren’t one-time actions—they’re habits of the heart that build over time. They’re evidence that we’re walking with Jesus daily and becoming more like Him.
Final Thought: Consistency Builds Trust
People should know what to expect when they’re around you. Not because you’re predictable or perfect—but because you’re rooted in Christ.
Be the same person online as you are in public. Be the same person at home as you are at church. Be the kind of person who points others to Jesus—not confuses them about who He is.
Consistency isn’t about performance—it’s about trust. And when people know they can trust you, they’re a whole lot more likely to trust the Jesus you follow, too.
Let’s be people whose lives are consistent with the gospel we preach. Not spicy one moment and sweet the next. Just faithful. Just steady. Just like our God.