Faithful

Proverbs 20:6

"Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?"

What is it to be faithful?

As a boy growing up, my father instructed me, "Boy, (he used this affectionately), there are three things you need to have as a man; honesty, integrity, and loyalty."

At the time, I didn't realize the truth and wisdom behind this simple statement, but as I walk through life, these three words form a triangle around the center of my heart, and I constantly weigh decisions by how close to the center of the triangle the choice will fall. I think that these three adjectives can be summed up in one word......faithful.

If I strive for faithfulness, the bi-product of decisions usually falls in the middle of the triangle.

To be faithful is to be honest......

It is to determine the ability to meet a commitment before agreeing to take it on. This requires honesty with yourself, and honesty to the person, or project you are committing to. At the same time, there has to be honesty to the one asking for the commitment. The person or project may seem like a perfect fit, but in the end, the choice to proceed with a commitment, may lead to pain and disappointment if the ability to follow through to the end is not accomplished. So, there is a responsibility to be honest to the one asking for the commitment, in order to prevent the hurt that is a repercussion of not finishing what is started.

To be faithful is to be loyal........

How many times have I been excited about a new opportunity or experience, and jumped in with both feet, only to realize that after the newness has worn off, that in the end the expectations I had placed on the experience were far greater than the experience itself. From that I am left facing the choice to remain loyal to the decision, even if there is not an emotional degree of satisfaction that results from continually standing in the place I agreed to stand. A soldier may sign up for the military with expectations of excitement, and tremendous adventure...if after boot camp, they are given an assignment to guard a road which noone ever travels down, they may soon find themselves in a place of discontent, with expectations not being met. But, their loyalty to their commitment is crucial! Leaving their post might result in tremendous consequences in the larger picture of a war which they play a part. The decision becomes a daily commitment to stay where they were placed, even in the cold, the heat, the boredom, the unmet expectations....so that, the war can be won, and those to which they have committed can depend on them to be there.

To be faithful is to be full of integrity.

What do you have if you don't have integrity? Suspicion and distrust. If a previous record of leaving before finishing proceeds you, then more than likely you are not going to be given many future opportunities, which otherwise you would have been given. When others look at you, what do they see? Is it someone they know they can count on, even when things are difficult, and hard? Is it a security that you will bring to a situation by a trust in your desire to fulfill the mission? Without integrity, there is no reason for anyone to trust you.

Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?