Ep.1035: What is the True Meaning of Loyalty?
Understanding and applying the enriching power of loyalty
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CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Philippians 1:21
Humanity is built for loyalty. We have wired within us a longing to be seen and accepted by others as trusted and important. We are also blessed with a deep desire to give allegiance and live with faithfulness to those whom we deem worthy of our fidelity. If you just stop and think about being loyal for a moment you will realize it permeates all of our life decisions. We gravitate towards those people and things to which we attribute comfort and security, as we stay away from those people and things which we see as sources of alienation or disappointment. So, what makes loyalty work? Are there conditions that should always be present when we give or receive it? What happens when we misplace our loyalty? How do we know our chosen loyalties are good or even healthy?
Loyalty is squarely built upon three core beliefs
- There must be a sense of trust. Trust comes from words, actions or a track record that builds confidence. We give credence to people organizations or things when we are convinced we are safer or better off as a result of their presence in our lives. Of course, there are times when our trust is misplaced and that can begin a downward spiraling pattern. This is why we as Christians must have the trust factor of our loyalty based on the ever-solid foundation of God. As our Creator and the Author of the eternal plan for his human creation, His words as expressed in the Bible have credence, His actions are faith worthy and His track record builds confidence.
- Trust opens the door to belonging. When we belong to something we tend to take ownership of it. With ownership comes attentiveness to detail. This brings loyalty to a level of not just receiving security, but now being responsive and contributing to others' security and well being. This is where we see loyalty becoming a two-way street. For Christians, the belonging aspect of loyalty is clearly reflected in the call from God to become a follower of Jesus. If we are truly trying to follow Jesus in our everyday experiences then we absolutely belong to a profoundly-privileged group.
- Belonging stands on a sense of purpose. As trust opens the door and belonging makes it a two-way street, a sense of purpose solidifies loyalty into becoming a way of life. Look around and see that those whose lives are truly driven for good always have these three elements working. Our Christian sense of purpose is the heavenly call of God’s plan through Jesus to be faithful. We will then have the privilege of bringing others to know God, both now in this life, as well as later in the time of reconciliation.
Check out our August 20, 2018 podcast, “What is the True Meaning of Loyalty?” We put these pieces together with clarity and examine many biblical examples. Some of these examples show us what misplaced loyalty looks like. Others show us both wimpy and life-changing loyalty. Is your loyalty to the right things, in the right place and for the right cause?
What is loyalty
Exactly – this is what we attempt to answer from a biblical standpoint on this episode. Please listen and give us your thoughts. You can click on the CQ Rewind Show Notes as a written companion to the audio. – Christian Questions