S47P3 – A show of faithfulness: reflections of our Father

Pro. 3:3-4

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

He had only one goal, which was to make his boss proud and happy. When he was asked to do any job, he did so without complaining. Every task he completed was done with the utmost effort and perfectionism. If he had to come in early or stay late, he was more than willing. He had been raised to have a good work ethic, and he wanted to make sure that his leadership saw this in him. It certainly did not go unrecognized as he earned extra compensation and greater responsibility. What he had not realized was that his leadership was not the only group to notice his work ethic. He was a loyal employee, and that showed his colleagues that he was a loyal person. They knew he could be trusted if someone needed help or a confidant. His character shone through to everyone.

Our faithfulness to God is all about God. We do not maintain our loyalty to him so that we have bragging rights before others or to gain some title or recognition from people. We are loyal to God because He deserves it and requires it. We are loyal to God because we cannot be good children without that. However, He is not the only one who sees the faithfulness that we exhibit to him. When we are faithful to God, and we stick to our guns and refuse to relent in the face of opposition to our faith, people will notice. Success and favor among men will follow because of the good character we exhibit. This does not mean that we will not have opposition from those who disagree with our beliefs, but it does mean that others will not be able to find fault in our character even if they do not believe as we do. Our loyalty and faithfulness to God will show that we can be trusted and counted on, and they will see that God’s people are unshakeable.

The hope is that we emulate the character of God in all that we do. One of his character traits is his faithfulness. Without that, we could not trust in the promises He makes to us. If God were not faithful, then we could not rest on the guarantee of salvation for those who believe in his Son Jesus Christ. If God were not faithful, we would spend our days wondering if and when He might change his mind and decide not to save us after all. The thing about God, however, is that He has no option but to be faithful. Even when we are unfaithful, He is faithful because He cannot be anything other than his perfect self. [2 Tim. 2:13] Our faithfulness to God is a testament not to us but to him. Father, thank You for giving us what we need to be faithful to You, and help us daily to show this character for all people to see and recognize your character in us.