Loyalty

It seems that we live in a culture predominantly disloyal. At the first sign of trouble, challenge, or testing--we are apt to abandon our relationships, friendships, churches, groups, families, beliefs, and our ultimate faith in God.

Plato originally said that only a man who is just can be loyal, and that loyalty is a condition of genuine philosophy. The philosopher Josiah Royce said it was the supreme moral good, and that one's devotion to an object mattered more than the merits of the object itself. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." (Matthew 6:24 NIV) Attempting to serve two masters leads to "double-mindedness" (James 4:8), undermining loyalty to a cause.

I remember a time when marriage was for a lifetime; people didn't leave their church simply because they needed a "vacation" or somebody said something that they didn't like; or people were best friends 50 or 60 years. It is terrible and tragic that we've become so enamored and stuck on ourselves that longevity, stick-to-it-ness, and perseverance rarely crosses our minds here in this 21st century.

Strangely--the Italian Mafia gets it. The 'gangsters' get it. Even some unsaved people groups and societies get it. Unfortunately, it disturbs me that a vast majority of the people group who matters most (Christians) don't seem to get it, loyalty that is. If we do, I think it needs to manifest through our actions.

This is why I treasure those persons who, despite the inclement weather and hardships--are still LOYAL and true.