The Bible Says

Be Faithful
by Charlie Grier
 

"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

True And Tried
by David Roper

We are often disappointed by the unfaithfulness of people. A family member promises to write, but months go by without a letter. A pastor says he will visit when we are sick, but he doesn't make it to the hospital or to our home. A friend agrees to be there for us in our bereavement but doesn't even call. Others tell us they will pray for us but quickly forget our need. Someone promises to do an important task for us but never follows through. We ask ourselves, "Who can find a faithful man?" (Proverbs 20:6).

We can do very little about the unfaithfulness of others. But we can do a lot about our faithfulness to others. When we make a promise we must keep it. When we tell someone we will pray for them, we need to follow through and do it. When we proclaim our loyalty and love for others, we can do little things that show them that we mean it.

The Apostle Paul said that one fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness.

"But the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit (The work which His presence within accomplishes) -- is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience, (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, (benevolence), faithfulness" (The Amplified Bible).

God will create in us a steadfast spirit if we take seriously what we tell others we will do for them, and we follow through.

Ask God to make you a person whom others can count on - a person who is tried and true

Lord, grant to me a faithfulness
In what I say and do
So others will be confident
That I will follow through.

-- Dennis J. De Haan
(Our Daily Bread, January, February, March, 2005


Watch Your Attitude

Before we can become a faithful friend, we must first learn to be faithful to God. Our first step is to get quiet before God long enough to hear Him speak. Little Samuel prayed, "Speak Lord for Thy servant heareth." God did speak. Samuel continued to listen and he became one of the most Godly leaders of all Old Testament saints.

"Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey."

Someone has said, "The most important ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people." If we find others unreasonable and hard to get along with, what do you think they have discovered about us? Do we think before we speak? Or do we "fly off the handle" and give the other party, "A piece of our mind?" Someone has said, "Nothing will cook your goose faster than a red hot temper."

To live above with saints we love,
That will be glory!
To live below with saints we know,
That's a different story.

If we love God with our whole heart and our neighbor as ourselves we won't spend our time nursing hurt feelings. "Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them" (Psalm 119:165).

In the following lines an unknown writer offers a great deal of advice for all of us to consider.

Forget each kindness that you do
as soon as you have done it.
Forget the praise that falls to you
the moment you have won it.

Forget the slander that you hear
before you can repeat it.
Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer,
whenever you may meet it.

Remember every promise made
and keep it to the letter.
Remember those who lend you aid
and be a grateful debtor.

Remember all the happiness
that comes your way in living.
Forget each worry and distress,
be hopeful and forgiving.

Remember good, remember truth,
Remember heaven is above you.
And you will find, through age and youth,
That many friends will love you.

Are You Willing?

  • To close the book of complaints and open the book of praise?
  • To believe other men are quite as sincere as you are and to treat them with respect?
  • To ignore what life owes you and to think about what you owe life? To stop looking for friendship and to start being friendly?
  • To be content with such things as you have and to stop whining for the things you have not?
  • To enjoy the simpler blessings and to cease striving for the artificial pleasures of the day?
  • To forget what you have accomplished and to meditate on what others have done for you?
  • To cease looking for someone to help you and to devote yourself to helping others?
  • To accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and to let your life be an outlet for His love, Joy, and peace?

-- (The Guide to Light).

Don't Demand Perfection

An elderly gentleman asked a friend to fix a leaky faucet. After the friend was gone he turned on his hot water faucet and got cold water. His friend meant well but he had unintentionally crossed the water pipes. Rather than hurt his friend he decided not to even mention the mistake. Despite the inconvenience he still had water and no leak, so he just praised God for his friend's kind efforts! We are all imperfect ourselves, so why demand perfection from other people?