Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfulness

Good morning, Five Minute Families! Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control … the sweet fruit of the Holy Spirit! For the past three weeks, we have been discussing the nine attributes in detail, giving ideas on how to cultivate the fruit of the spirit in your lives. Today’s topic is faithfulness.Faithfulness is almost a dirty word in the world today. We are bombarded with stories, images, videos, and sayings that tell us that being faithful is overrated, unnecessary, and possibly even detrimental. But, it isn’t. Faithfulness is the culmination of trust, commitment, and dependability.Let’s clarify something about faithfulness… God is faithful. Always and forever. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.1 Thessalonians 5:24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.And, as Christ-followers, we are to be faithful to God.Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’Luke 16:10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.Deuteronomy 28:1-2 Now if you faithfully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all his commands I am giving you today, the Lord your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the Lord your God (which is then followed by a list of specific blessings)Alright, so, God is faithful, and we are to be faithful to God, but what about the faithfulness referenced in Galatians 5?If we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, just as with all of the attributes of the fruit of the spirit, we have the ability to be faithful in our earthly relationships as well. Galatians 5 verses 13 and 14 give us the biggest context clues about whether the fruit of the Spirit of faithfulness is strictly in our relationship with God or if it is in the context of relationships with others… the phrases ‘serve one another through love’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ demonstrate that the faithfulness attribute of the fruit of the spirit is still in the context of our interactions with people … how do we glorify God through our faithfulness to others?Faithfulness in marriage for example is a covenant - a covenant of purity in the area of physical intimacy but also a covenant in the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional intimacies as well. Faithfulness is being trustworthy and loyal, being committed no matter what triumphs or trials come your way. Faithfulness in family relationships and friendships involves the same but in varying areas and degrees. Ultimately, faithfulness is one anothering.We are faithful when we serve one another.We are faithful when we bear one another burdens. We are faithful when we weep with one another. We are faithful when we encourage one another.We are faithful when we restore one another. I loved this summary, “God’s faithfulness to us gives us the strength to be faithful people.”When we lovingly give our time and attention to relationships in our lives, we are being faithful. And, five-minute families must make intentional choices to stay committed in the midst of the chaotic moments of everyday life. We must choose specific areas in which we are weak, and pray that God shows us practical behaviors to use to make a difference in one another’s lives. As always, we must be in his word daily, which allows us to see - in story after story and verse after verse - God’s faithfulness. No, we can never be faithful like God is faithful, but with the power of His Holy Spirit, we can an excellent effort at it. May God bless you and yours this week as you read His word, meditate on the fruit of his spirit, and love one another deeply for the glory of our Lord. Be blessed!