People expect loyalty from us in all phases of life: family, schools, sports teams, clubs, friends, employment, and country. Loyalty is what makes us a part of something. For example, we can’t be loyal to the Falcons and root for the Cowboys. We can’t be faithful to a company and then badmouth our boss. And we certainly can’t be loyal to our country and sell secrets. I don’t even like buying foreign companies’ products, but sometimes nothing else is on the rack.
To me, loyalty means hanging in there during the good and bad times. It means trying to make an entity better. We can improve our families by being kind to each other, going that extra mile, or contributing whatever we can. Growing up, my parents expected us kids to work at my dad’s store. We all looked forward to it (well, most of the time), and when we got home, we did more chores. That’s how we lived a life of loyalty. We all wanted to be a part of the whole and demonstrate a loving and caring attitude toward our family. Loyalty means being a part of something and never quitting.
We can also be a part of God’s family. As believers, we are His children and should look forward to working for His kingdom. No, doing this is not like working in a store, but being loyal doesn’t have to be mundane, repetitive, or even social. Working for God should, however, include kindness, thoughtfulness, and compassion. Otherwise, others won’t recognize our loyalty to the Lord.
All God wanted from the Israelites was loyalty—obedience and faithfulness—but they thought they knew better than God what was good for them. God, however, knew what was best for His children then and still does now. He richly and daily provides all we need, including and especially our salvation.
God expects our obedience, faithfulness, and devotion—our loyalty. That’s not too much for God to ask or us to give.
Carl Schleede is a writer.