Faithfulness

The statement, “Your ‘yes’ must be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ must be ‘no’ ” is at the heart of what it means to be faithful. A faithful person can be trusted. Jesus told the disciples that they should be so well known for their integrity, that they should never have to take an oath. The oaths of yesterday are the legal contracts of today. We can do almost nothing today without a legal contract. Fifty years ago a handshake was considered binding. People felt keeping one’s word was important. Today, our word means nothing because of a general lack of societal integrity. Faithfulness is not just keeping our word, it is telling the truth.

The Bible reveals God’s faithfulness. He is absolutely trustworthy in all He has promised. Faithfulness is just as critical in my actions. I need to be so consistent in my character, that people know how I will respond in tough situations. It is critical for our witness to others that we are beyond reproach. To grow in this area, we must: (1) stay close to God through prayer and Bible study, letting Him penetrate our soul (Hebrews 4:11-13); (2) spend time in personal evaluation (Psalm 139:23-24); and (3) let others hold us accountable (Proverbs 27:17). Trust is at the heart of any good relationship—with God and others. God has held up His end of the relationship. Are we ready to hold up ours?