A Maytag Life

March 10, 2014

Remember the old Maytag commercials? The bored repairman complained about the washing machines being too dependable and he didn’t have anything to do. A more recent example could be Ford trucks. The announcer always touts their dependability.

If either of these guys had been talking about a person, he might have said they were . . . faithful.

What do you think of when you hear the word, “faithful”? A close friend, perhaps a loyal dog?

Do you think of God? Check Philippians 1:6. It declares that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Wow. God began a good work in me and He isn’t going to drop the ball. I love that. It has sustained me through many a tough time.

Because faithfulness is an attribute of God, it’s also a fruit of the Spirit. Someone who is faithful will exhibit traits of trustworthiness. They will be dependable.

Have you ever heard the saying, “if you want something done, ask a busy person”? You’d think a busy person would be the last person to ask, but chances are he has proven himself trustworthy in whatever he agrees to do. More and more people grow to depend on him. He is faithful in his duties.

It does seem like some people are born faithful, doesn’t it? However, the odds are that he was taught to be trustworthy by his parents. They ingrained into him the truth that a person is only as good as his word.

Have you been known as a person who keeps her word? Good for you! You are exhibiting faithfulness. Or do you have a reputation of being someone who breaks her word when the bargain gets tough or maybe just inconvenient? These are the acts of a faithless person. I would hate to hear the words judging me a faithless servant when I meet God. A faithless servant cannot be trusted by his Master. And I certainly want God to be able to trust me.

If we didn’t grow up in a home that encouraged and taught faithfulness, how can we develop it as adults? It boils down to this: honor others. Imagine how disappointed (or worse) someone will feel if you are not there for them when you said you would be. If you say you will meet them at a certain time, it’s important to be there at that time. She may tell you it doesn’t matter, but it really does. It’s important because

It shows that you are trustworthy and cements the relationship,
It honors the other person’s time and trust,
It honors God,
It builds you up and helps develop the spiritual fruit.

This example may seem trivial, but all areas of life benefit from faithfulness. It’s a matter of being responsible, and not just when someone in authority is watching. Scripture reminds us that if we are faithful in small things, we will be faithful in the larger ones (Matthew 25:21). We just have to cooperate with the Spirit and grow into them through faith.

Helping faithfulness grow takes some effort and consistency, but even when we slip into faithlessness, God remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). Live in a way that will let Him say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That’s the commendation of a dependable person.

this is part 9 of an 11 part series on the fruit of the spirit

Next time: Gentleness

Part 1| Fruit-Tastic!