In my Masters Program I was taking Systematic Theology. One of the many papers I needed to write focused on a Theology of the Environment. I thought it was a pretty good paper.
We all have times where our opinion may not match reality. This was my case. When the paper was returned it had, circled in red, the word environment. And since the paper included that word quite often there were many circles. It looked like my paper had broken out in hives.
What was the issue? Instead of spelling enviRONment, I spelled enivORNment. There was no spell check in those days so I couldn’t even blame my laptop.
Now a bit of a backstory. Early on in class someone had asked the professor, regarding the pronoun for God. It was asked if “he” ought to be capitalized. The Profs response was, “You can do either as long as you stay consistent throughout the paper.” Back to my red embedded paper.
Knowing my profs propensity for consistency I perceived a loop hole. I went to him with paper in hand. “Professor Prince,” I said with confidence. “I know your propensity for consistency in spelling. I actually realized I had spelled enviRONment enviORNment. I just left it so as to keep it consistent throughout the paper.”
He looked at me incredulously and said, “Nice try.” Well that was that.
Why share this story that is seared into my memory? Consistency is a good thing. Consistency in the wrong direction is not. I was consistent. However, consistency in misspelling is not very noble. It is just sloppy.
Consistency in manners is good. Consistency in rudeness is not. Consistency in character is good. Consistency in character flaws is not. Consistency in driving on the wrong side of the road is an action of carelessness.
Consistency in the right direction. This is what we ought to strive for. When we are consistent we can be trusted. We can be counted on.
Consistency in the wrong areas, or on the wrong stuff, achieves little. Be consistent in the right direction.