Loyalty grows out of a generous heart. Belief, and the willingness to commit to that belief, is one of the greatest gifts you can give one another. Talk is cheap, but follow-through is priceless. When a woman is loyal to the core, you'll observe that she's rich in friends and enjoys intimate and lasting relationships. In the same way, you can spot the signs of disloyalty when you see transient relationships, disillusioned friends, and disenchanted lovers. When you see a pattern of broken relationships and discarded friends, you can be pretty sure that even though the person sounds sincere, loyalty is low on the list of her priorities.
Loyalty begins with saying what you mean and meaning what you say. Easy assurances and good intentions are not enough. Are you a woman of your word? Are you willing to make a sacrifice if necessary to follow through on your promises? It's better to make no commitment than to make a false commitment. Be someone people can count on.
If you are loyal, you will try to believe the best of people. When somene slanders a friend or gossips about someone you know, the loyal choice is to BELIEVE the best before you THINK the worst. This is not about naive wishing, wanting to believe when you know you should be cautious. This is about assuming that your friend is innocent till proven guilty. If guilt is hiding under a smooth surface, a pattern of negative behavior will reveal itself in time. Until then, assume that you don't have all the facts and choose to believe that the person being gossiped about may be more sinned against than sinning.
Be kind and encouraging with your words and in your deeds. Bite your tongue when you are tempted to put someone down. People need encouragement more than they need critiques. You want your friends and loved ones to be able to depend on you, not only for honesty, but for steady encouragement and belief in them.
Christ said, " I will never leave you nor forsake you." Remember that He is your most loyal friend. You can depend upn God's word and trust His promises. You can take a bold stand for Him, too. Because He first loved you, you know that through His power you can be faithful to Him.
Loyalty is a sign of godly character. Treasure a loyal friend and be the kind of woman who is treasured by others for her loyal nature.
i will
believe the best before i think the worst of people.
encourage instead of criticize
keep my word
be kind to all i meet
treasure loyalty and trust
be honest with my friends
rest in God's unfailing loyalty to me, even when i fail.
things to do
call or write a friend to offer encouragement and to tell them how special they are to you. be specific.
in your journal, evaluate your ability to be a loyal friend, and list several areas where you would like to change.
apologize to someone in person, by phone, or in a letter to whom you have talked too harshly or judged unfairly.
read the book of Ruth, meditating on her loyalty to Naomi and to the God of Israel.
the next time you hear gossip about someone you know, stand up for him or her.
Faithfulness in little things IS A BIG THING. Saint John Chrysostom
Loyalty means not that I am you, or that I agree with everything you say or that I believe you are always right. Loyalty means that I share a common ideal with you and that regardless of minor differences we fight for it, shoulder to shoulder, confident in one another's good faith, trust, constancy and affection. Karl Menninger
thanks for reading.....
4 comments:
Great topic as always Sis. Loyalty is very important to me, especially in my really close relationships. And I don't mean "blind loyalty" where you just go along with everything I say or do, even when you know it's wrong or isn't in my best interest. To me, that's not loyalty. It is so important in this life to have someone who will not only support you but pull your coattail when you're out of order.
Thanks Jackie. Appreciate your reponse as always. Blind loyalty is not good, is not loyal. Yes we all need that friend who will pull us aside when we step out of place in a nice way.
This is so important. I've always tried to watch what I say and when someone comes to me with not-so-good information about a mutual friend, I just take it with a grain of salt. I mean, it's very important to be loyal to those who really love and support you. But like Ms Jayy said, not blind loyalty. God gave us a brain for a reason and a heart that never lies...Thanks for the post.
Mocha,
Thank you for your loyal comments. I truly appreciate them. For those who truly love and support you, it is good to be loyal.
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