Faithfulness: The Fruit We All Want From Others by Mike Belgard

August 25, 2017 - Have you ever really listened to wedding vows? I know that most all of us can say you have. But have you ever really contemplated what they are asking someone to do? You know that part that says "through sickness and health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, until death do we part." That's a commitment. As my old grandma used to say; "That's tying a knot with words that you can't untie with your teeth!"

What they are asking us to do is to be faithful to our spouse no matter what life throws our way. Its saying, I'm all in! I will not leave! I will stay with this person through any hardship. They can depend on you to always be there for them. That's what faithfulness is. We live in a day where faithfulness does not seem to be held in as high of a position of honor as it used to be. That includes even among many believers.

Long gone are the days when a handshake between two men was sufficient enough to ensure the integrity of a contract. People have lost "faith" in the faithfulness of others. We see that in the rise of divorces, law suits between friends and neighbors, as well as an overabundance of distrust among people. Faithfulness dies when selfishness flourishes. However, the contrary is also true; selfishness cannot survive where faithfulness lives.

The dictionary defines faithfulness as " enduring loyalty and trustworthiness". The seventh fruit of the Spirit, faithfulness, grows in us as we give our complete loyalty to God and become a trustworthy vessel for him to use. We forget sometimes as Christians how important faithfulness is. Let me ask you a question? Do you apply the same standards of faithfulness to your Christian activities as you do to other things in your life? For instance, if your car only started every third time you tried it, would you consider it reliable? If you just showed up for work once or twice a week, are you a loyal employee? If your fridge goes out every week, is it trustworthy? The answers to all theses questions is no! But we think we are good Christians when we just read our bibles occasionally, pray only when we are in trouble, attend church one or two Sundays a month, and that's only if we don't have anything else to do we think is more important.

God expects and calls us to be faithful as He is faithful. When the Spirit of Jesus resides in a person they have to be faithful. It is Gods character trait passed to them. That's why the writer of Hebrews said in 10:23 "And let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful." Aren't we glad that Jesus was faithful to honor His commitment to us on the cross.

Faithfulness is something that we all expect out of others. However, if you claim to be a Christian, and faithfulness is not a part of your character, you may want to reexamine your relationship with the Lord. He tells us that our faithfulness will be rewarded when we stand before Him for judgement. In Matthew 25:23 he states this truth through the parable of the talents; "His Lord said to him, "well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord." Those are the words that every believer should want to hear when they stand at the gates of heaven.

Maybe you or someone you know has had problems with faithfulness in the past. There is still Hope. You can make it right from this day forward, because here's the good news. No matter how much trouble you have had with faithfulness in the past, Jesus is faithful to hear the prayer of repentance and deliver you out of any bondage you are in, and save you. Jesus says in Rev. 2:10 "Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life." He's waiting faithfully to hear your prayer.

I'm just Saying
Mike Belgard