What does loyalty mean to you? Would you consider yourself a loyal person?
If so, in what ways are you demonstrating such loyalty? As a wife? As
a mother? As a Christian? Are you really loyal to the Lord and others,
or only to yourself?
Proverbs 20:6, "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but
a faithful man who can find?"
A person who is loyal has a habit of being true and faithful to God, to
other people, to a duty, or to a promise. Loyalty is shown through an
unwavering completion of responsibilities NO MATTER WHAT THE DIFFICULTIES
MAY BE. A person who is loyal will defend - with determination - his privilege
to be obedient and faithful to the object of his loyalty. If we are correct
and right in our Christian life at every point, but refuse to stand for
the truth at a particular point where the battle rages - then we are traitors
to Christ...
Psalm 12:1, "Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail
from among the children of men."
Loyalty builds trust, amen? Can you recognize loyalty in other people?
Although by one action you can't determine if a person is loyal or not,
you can notice the specific instances of loyalty that are helping a person
to become loyal in character. How many of us wives feel our husbands are
loyal to us, to our marriages? How is their loyalty demonstrated? How
has it enhanced your trust in your husband, made you feel? When disloyalty
prevails, so then does mistrust. Disloyalty does great harm, not only
to a marriage, but to the cause of Christ!
James 4:4, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship
of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend
of the world is the enemy of God."
Today, I want us to take a moment and search our hearts to determine if
we are learning to be loyal. Are you practicing habits of loyalty to God,
to other people, your duties, and your promises??
Phillipians 2:14-15 says, "Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world."
This world is sorely lacking in loyalty! Men and women are no longer loyal
to one another, to their marriages. Women are not as loyal to their duties
and responsibilities in the home anymore. Children are not loyal to their
parents, to their family unit as a whole. Adults are no longer loyal to
America and the foundation it was built upon. Christians are lacking in
loyalty as well! Yes, even Christians need to be careful that they do
not fall under the title of "disloyal", for scripture says we are to be
lights in this crooked and perverse nation. Loyalty is a character trait
that should shine forth, is it not? Why then are we regularly found murmuring
and disputing over our duties and responsibilities in the various areas
of our lives that I mentioned above?
Titus 3:8, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful
to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."
Ladies, loyalty in our marriages should find us spending time doing those
things that are pleasing to our mates, those things that will contribute
to a happy and healthy marital relationship. An unwavering completion
of responsibilities - no matter what the difficulties may be! Does that
sound like your attitude toward your marriage and the things that you
might have to do to make it work?? Perhaps your husband likes to come
home to a neat, quiet house rather than a toy-strewn, unkempt living room.
Maybe he doesn't like you to be on the computer when he is home, or to
do any housework in the evening? Are you loyal to that cause, to his desires,
even though you might think it a bit ridiculous? A truly loyal wife will
carry out her responsibilities in the home and marriage regardless of
the way she feels about completing the task. A loyal wife will defend
with determination her privilege to be obedient and faithful to the object
of her loyalty - her husband! Most times, we are found murmuring and disputing
over our duties and responsibilities in the home simply because we are
really only loyal to ourselves and to our desires, amen ladies?!
1 Tim. 3:11, "Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober,
faithful in ALL things."
For instance, my husband likes it when we keep his car clean if and when
we use it. I must confess, that I have not always been loyal to this cause
in times past! I do not usually feel like taking the time after returning
home from a hectic day of running errands or grocery shopping with the
kids etc., to clean up the untidiness we may have created in his car that
day. But my loyalty to his likes and dislikes will bring me to the place
of either doing it myself, or seeing to it that one or all of the children
leave the car in the manner in which my husband likes to find it! When
men and women cease to be faithful to their God, he who expects to find
them so to each other will be much disappointed! Be careful before you
pride yourself in saying that you are a loyal wife.... Are you loyal even
in the little things your husband may ask of you?? Can you fulfull those
tasks without complaint? Would you say you are loyal to his reputation
or do you regularly murmur about his desires, his decisions? Stop and
think about it today.... Are you truly loyal to the role you have as a
wife, or are you maintaining an independent spirit in your home? The reason
I ask is because these little things are the very ingredients that make
up the total character of one who is considered loyal.
Luke 16:10-11, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful
also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who
will commit to your trust true riches?"
Our highest loyalty should be to God and HIS eternal values, amen? Jesus
contrasted heavenly values with earthly values when He explained that
our first loyalty should be to those things that do not fade, cannot be
stolen or used up, and never wear out.... As parents, we desire that our
children are loyal to us, to the family unit, to the running smoothly
of the home, don't we? Do you enjoy it when they murmur or dispute over
the things that you might ask of them to do? Teach them to be loyal! First
by example, and then by training them properly....
Titus 1:6, "....having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly."
Do your children act one way in your presence and yet another way when
you are nowhere to be found? That is not loyalty! Do they speak reverently
about you and your husband in the presence of others, or use that opportunity
to complain about you and your rules, the behavior of your family members?
That is not loyalty! What kinds of things are YOU found doing when nobody
is looking, dear lady? Now consider what kinds of things your children
might be doing when you aren't looking.... Do they hide things from you?
That is not loyalty! Loyalty to God needs to be stressed first for HE
sees everything! Are you placing emphasis on being loyal to God in your
life before them? Your children will learn to be loyal to the Lord as
you are loyal to Him. Scary thought, isn't it??
1 Cor. 4:2, "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be FOUND
FAITHFUL."
How do we show the Lord that we are loyal to Him? Do we faithfully spend
time in His Word and prayer? Do we stand up for the cause of Christ when
we have opportunity, or remain silent? Do we teach our children the things
of God at home? Do we maintain a blameless testimony before others that
would glorify our Heavenly Father because we are loyal members of His
family? Do you have a tendency to complain about what you have had to
go through as a Christian, about a particular trial, or circumstances
that God has seen fit to bring into your life? Loyalty to God will defend
with determination your privilege to be obedient and faithful to the object
of your loyalty - God Himself!
Regardless of what the difficulties may be.....
Luke 12:51-52, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell
you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five
in one house divided, three against two, and two against three."
In these strange and unsettling words above, Jesus revealed that His coming
often results in conflict. You see, He demands a response so intimate
from us that groups may be torn apart when some choose to follow Him and
others refuse to do so. There is no middle ground with Jesus!! Loyalties
MUST be declared and commitments made, sometimes to the point of severing
other relationships. Are you willing to risk division when it comes to
your commitment to Christ?
Loyalty says:
Acts 20:24, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life
dear unto myself..."
These are the words of Christ, a Son who was loyal to His Father:
John 8:29, "....for I do always those things that please Him."
In closing, let me ask you again... Are you truly loyal to the Lord, or
only to yourself?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000
Pamela A. Iannello
