Our culture has trained us to be disloyal. I’m not kidding. I really mean it. In America, it’s all about competition. No one is loyal to any particular business often. Mostly, we shop where we get the best buy or the most bang for our buck. Consequently, it is ingrained in us to be disloyal to any business or manufacturer, unless they consistently have the lowest price for a good product. And that’s all fine when it comes to being a consumer – after all, competition is the name of the game.

The problem is that this “consumer thinking” often enters or dominates our relationships too. We tend to drop friendships quickly if they prove too difficult or unfulfilling for us. We quit teams or clubs or organizations that don’t give us what we want. We terminate marriages quickly if we find something better or hit rough waters. We tend to stab people in the back if others are against them, instead of remaining loyal. And we tend to hop around to many churches, instead of picking one and staying there through thick and thin to make a difference for Christ.

Speaking from a Pastor’s perspective, it is really difficult to have a growing, thriving church when people constantly come and go and won’t commit or stay loyal to their church. Many people simply can’t be depended on for anything. They’re attendance is too “hit and miss,” so you can’t count on them to serve in ministry or bring their tithes to help finance God’s work. It’s a real problem for pastors and church leaders, believe me. Yet, ironically, these same people expect their church to always be there for them and provide services for them when they need it. It doesn’t seem to dawn on them that if everyone was as disloyal as them, their church couldn’t do ANY ministry consistently.

Christians, God has called us to a higher standard! He’s called us to be loyal people. In fact, the Bible says, “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. You will find favor with both God and people and you will earn a good reputation” (Proverbs 3:3-4 – New Living Translation.)

If you want favor with God and a good reputation with people, be loyal. Stick with your relationships through thick and thin. Stick with friends - even when they go through an ugly period in their life where you don’t get much from that relationship. Later, when they pull out of this negative time in their life, they’ll love you so much and your relationship with them will be deeper than anything you imagined possible.

Stick with your church through thick and thin. Be loyal by being at services each weekend with your tithes and smiles and willingness to serve. Never put your church down to anyone or become its critic. That’s such an ugly thing. Be loyal to your pastors. Show them that they can count on you. That’s how you get close to pastors. They’re so used to people leaving on a whim and also leaving them holding the bag that when they see you being loyal week in and out, they’ll be blown away. They’ll love you and you’ll love them. Your relationship will deepen and you’ll have a great reputation among church leadership. Also, other members of that church will trust and admire you because of your loyalty.

Sure, there are times to terminate relationships or change churches. But in my opinion, these times are rare. Loyalty should be the norm, not the exception and it’s what God’s wants.

Are you a loyal person?