S37P10 – Spare parts: faithfulness

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

So then, let us be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful and trustworthy.

The hallmark of any great relationship is trust. Founded in its root of love, faithfulness desires to build the confidence of another. Whether we are speaking of friendships, family relationships or romantic relationships, that trust is necessary for people to grow closer together. A wife whose husband’s eyes seem to wander often may question whether his affections may wander as well. A girl who confesses her deepest secrets to a friend only to hear those secrets being repeated by others will wonder how they became known. A boy whose father promises to make time for him but never does may wonder whether he is worth anyone’s time at all. In all these scenarios, faithfulness is the result of one person desiring to treat another in love that can be counted on. We are to show God that He can count on us the same way.

If we read the old testament scriptures, we see that God’s people struggled with their faithfulness to him. It is not a struggle that was reserved only for those people at that time. God’s people today also struggle to be faithful to him. If we look at our relationship with him as the relationship between a bride and a groom, perhaps we would view our actions and our words in a different light. This is not merely about breaking rules or disobeying instruction. This is about not having any idols that take the place of God. Idolatry began in the garden of Eden, and that is when betrayal entered the heart of man. Our solace comes in that God has made a way for faithfulness to enter our hearts instead. The faithfulness that God desires from us is nothing more than the loyalty we allow his Holy Spirit to build in us as we are sanctified. He only wants to be treated as the first love that He is.

God fills every relationship role for us. He is our Father, so He is family. He is our friend. He is our groom. In all of these relationships, trust must exist. If we cannot remain faithful to God, then our relationship with him cannot grow. God, however, is not asking us to do something that is beyond the ability that He gives us. If He is asking us to be faithful it is because He has made a way for us to fulfill that. A man does not want to be betrayed by his friend. A father does not want to be betrayed by his son. A groom does not want to be betrayed by his bride. And we should not want to betray the one true God who is worthy of our devotion and our faithfulness, and who is completely faithful to us. We should desire to be loyal to him in all things. Father, teach us to be faithful to You as You are faithful to us.