by By David L. Goetsch
Have you ever been betrayed? Have you ever put your trust in someone only to have it broken? Sadly, most of us can answer yes to these questions. In a fallen world, faithfulness and loyalty in relations are rare. This is why the divorce rate is so high in America and why there are so many broken relationships. One of the most effective ways to ensure faithfulness and loyalty in a relationship is by setting an example of these things yourself. This is the message in Proverbs 3:3: “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.”
Because of the conditions in which they were raised, some people have never seen faithfulness or loyalty in a relationship. As a result, they don’t know how to be faithful or loyal. Faithfulness and loyalty elements of the Greatest Commandment. Part of loving your neighbors as yourself is being faithful and loyal to them. Some of the saddest stories I’ve ever heard came from people who were let down by unfaithful or disloyal spouses, relatives, friends, or coworkers. I have seen marriages destroyed, friendships lost, relationships severed, teams torn apart, and partnerships dissolved because of the unfaithfulness of one of the parties. I suspect you have too.
As Christians, we yearn for relationships based on the message in Proverbs 18:24: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but here is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” We want family members, friends, and coworkers who will uphold this Biblical standard and stick closer to us than a brother. Unfortunately, people don’t always live up to this standard.
In Luke 22:47-48 we read about the betrayal of Jesus. An angry mob was looking for him and Judas led them right to where he was praying on the Mount of Olives. Instead of remaining faithful and loyal to the Son of God, Judas betrayed Jesus and gave him over to the men who wanted to kill him. With this heinous act, the name of Judas became synonymous with betrayal and has remained so down through the ages. Even today, anyone who betrays the trust of another is called a “Judas.” I have counseled many people over the years who were betrayed by a modern-day Judas.
Few things in life are more devastating than being betrayed. Lives, relationships, communities, and even countries have been torn apart by the acts of unfaithful people. If you have ever suffered through the experience of being betrayed, you understand the value of faithfulness and loyalty. The two concepts are not precisely the same, but they are close enough that, for the sake of simplicity, I use the term faithfulness throughout this step to encompass both concepts.
Being faithful to your beliefs, commitments, and relationships means being steadfast in your devotion to them. Faithful people are true to their word, promises, beliefs, and commitments. As a result, they are dependable, trustworthy, and honest; they can be counted on in good times and bad. Faithful spouses, friends, relatives, or coworkers won’t abandon you at the first sign of trouble or when you need their help. Rather, they stick with you like the “friend” in Proverbs 18:24. Above all else, faithfulness is a willingness to sacrifice for the purpose of remaining true to your relationships, beliefs, promises, and commitments.
Faithfully upholding a commitment is one of the lessons Jesus taught by his death on the Cross. By going to the Cross, Jesus remained faithful in his commitment to God the Father. That commitment was to die on the cross to wash away our sins and give us eternal life. Christ’s example is the one you and I are to follow when it comes to faithfulness as well as all other aspects of our lives. Faithfulness begins with your relationship with the Lord. If you are faithful to God, you will, in turn, be faithful in all else. If you are not faithful to God, you won’t be faithful to anything or anyone else. When you betray your beliefs, commitments, family, friends, coworkers, or anyone else, you betray God.