Today’s Devotion

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 2, 2018

But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.  Ruth 1:16–17

Most people long for loyalty in love, war, and work. You can require loyalty and you may see some response, or you can show loyalty and thus become attractive to loyalty. When you give loyalty, you have a much better chance of receiving loyalty. This is true in marriage, business, parenting, or friendship.

In marriage, how do you think unwavering loyalty makes your spouse feel? If your spouse knows you are loyal, no matter what, how will he or she respond? In most cases a spouse will return loyalty, and both of you will enjoy a tremendous amount of security and peace. Adversity or difficulties should not weaken your loyalty; rather, they should strengthen your resolve to be there for each other. Can you think of a better gift to give someone during difficult times? The quality of your relationship goes to a deeper level.

The work environment is another opportunity to exercise loyalty. A business owner or supervisor should first look at giving loyalty rather than demanding loyalty. Will you be there for the employee during the down business cycle as you have been when everything is going well? What can employees expect from you? Will you be consistently honest or only when it is expedient? Wise leaders create a culture of loyalty. It means you care. It is a two-way street that invites reciprocity. So where does loyalty begin?

Loyalty begins by recognizing, understanding, and receiving God’s loving loyalty. Way beyond what we have asked for or deserve, He is loyal. The Lord’s loyalty transcends my sin, my poor choices, and my pride. Like the father of the prodigal son, He is there. Even when I mope back to Him embarrassed and beaten down, Jesus remains loyal.

The intensity and thoroughness of God’s loyalty makes the loyalty of a Saint Bernard or a golden retriever look shallow. He is there to receive you back even when you are disloyal to Him.  Once you recognize and understand the depth and breadth of God’s loyalty to you, you cannot help but extend loyalty to others. You are secure in Jesus.

You are compelled to be loyal to another because of God’s great loyalty to you! How can you do anything else? You become a loyalty maker rather than a loyalty breaker. People trust that you are with them, believe in them, and expect the best. You give them the benefit of the doubt. Be loyal, and there is a good chance you will receive loyalty, for loyalty creates loyalty.