Are you Faithful?
Do we treat strangers in a faithful way?
One of the things that breaks my heart these days is seeing how people treat complete strangers. Not only are people not faithful to God’s mandates, but their treatment makes the news! Whether it means someone called the police because a stranger is filming them and they feel threatened, or it could be that woman who had her hand inside my shopping cart, trying to take my package of toilet paper just as the pandemic was ramping up. Okay, America, just what are we thinking?!
3 John 1:5 tells us, “Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers.” Oh, yeah, we should be faithful and kind to our family and friends and coworkers, but especially to strangers! Why? Because it reflects on God and His faithfulness!
Our example to being faithful
Christ is our example in all things. He was a faithful friend – to the point of raising Lazarus from the dead! We’re gonna fall short. He knows this. God even tells us in scripture (2 Tim. 2:13, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”) Even if we become faithless, He is still reliable!
So we must do our best to remain faithful to Him. What does that look like?
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you aren’t running around openly worshiping other gods – lower case. But evaluate where you spend your time. If social media or binge watching Netflix gets more time than God – upper case – then you’ve got a problem.
A search for Faithfulness
How do we locate faithfulness? In ourselves? In God? Proverbs 14:22 tells us, “Don’t those who plan evil go astray? But those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.” So, plan something good!
When you wake up in the morning, you probably have some kind of task list in mind for the day. You know, as the Empress of Planning, I have more than just a vague idea of what I intend to do.
But in reading that verse, I noticed that most days do not include an actual PLAN to “do good.”
Don’t get me wrong, I HOPE that most days I AM doing good for someone. Somewhere. I just haven’t written “Plan to do good” anywhere on my calendar – EVER. Today, that changes.
Once we find Faithfulness
So we know that the best place to find faithfulness is in God. We can do Bible study and prayer, and plug into His Faithfulness at any time. And by planning good, we will find Faithfulness in ourselves and we’ll also be a magnet to others who are faithful. Then what? I found an answer in Ps. 92:1-4, “It is good to praise Yahweh, to sing to Your name, Most High, to declare Your faithful love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night, with a ten-stringed harp and the music of a lyre. For You have made me rejoice, LORD, by what You have done; I will shout for joy of the works of Your hands.”
The answer is…Praise Him! Praise Him for that very faithfulness! With song and instruments and with shouts of Joy! Just don’t forget He is the source. Celebrate HIM.
Father God, we praise You and Your infinite faithfulness. You will always be found when we take the time to search for You. Your love and presence is constant. Thank You!
Thanks for stopping by today. Do you have a favorite praise song to share? Let me know! And if fear makes praising difficult for you, check out my FREE course: Less Fear More Jesus here.
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