One of the more difficult things any of us will ever have to deal with is the difference between longevity and loyalty. When I was a little boy my best friend lived across the street. We spent every waking moment together building forts, climbing trees, riding bikes and any other outdoor activity two boys could find that created excitement and adventure. For over half my life we were very best friends, I thought we would be buddies for life! One day he told me that his family had decided to move to a new neighborhood. It was only 10 miles away but when all you have is a bike that is another country. We committed to stay in touch and create every opportunity we could to spend time together. We were brothers!! I remember crying incessantly as they packed up the moving truck and drove away. All my life up to that point he had been my best friend. Well that was the last time we ever spent any time together. He was a year older so when he moved he made new friends and I was no longer a priority. ....
So it goes with so many of us as adults. It is easy to confuse longevity with loyalty. We tend to think that since we have known someone or spent so much time with someone that there is a bond of loyalty that transcends all things. Unfortunately that just isn’t true for most people. Loyalty seems to be conditional on “what have you done for me lately”. Truly one of the most painful experiences we will ever deal with is to realize that your “loyal” friends were really based on what value you added to them. When there is little value you add or a time that actually you are in deep need of a friend as a resource of time, love or grace these friends seems to disappear. As we get older this can become very unsettling. I have found that unless you can find some sort of loyalty, you cannot find unity and peace in your active life. We are all connectors, God made us this way, we are designed to share this experience called life, and without loyal friends as a witness to our testimony our lives lose a little purpose. I want to encourage you to never give up on building deep meaningful relationships. There may be times that you have been so hurt that you say to yourself “forget it, I am done with friends, I will keep the few I have and never experience that pain again”. Please don’t let the enemy convince you of that lie. We all need each other and someone out there right now needs you and your painful experiences. Your testimony will be their inspiration and strength.....
Carl Schurz, a loyal friend of Abraham Lincolns said “My country right or wrong; when right, to keep her right; when wrong, to put her right”. This is what I call loyalty! To stand by a friend or country no matter what! When things go wrong they stand by their side and help make it right or love them through their hardship. Theodore Roosevelt said “I would rather be faithful than famous”. So many people choose popularity or profit over loyalty and brotherhood. All of us have probably been guilty a time or two when it comes to our absolute loyalty but I am hoping we can make some adjustments from this day forward. Every one of us will some day need the love and support of our friends. Join me in making a decision that no matter what goes down for your true friends you will be there for them. True loyalty breeds deep peace. Knowing that God loves me no matter what give me deep peace in my life. Lets represent this same attitude with our brothers and sisters in Christ.....
Lets embrace grace and restoration over guilt and condemnation. Ask yourself a question; is there someone you need to call? Is there someone that you have not been there for? Can you decide to make the choice of loyalty over profit or popularity? The question we should be asking is not what have you done for me lately but what can I do for you now! How can I help you get back on your feet, serve you or add value to you? Just a simple phone call or email can change a life. Reach out, go past the 50/50 style, it is never right to do the wrong thing and never wrong to do the right thing. You are good people! Decide today and call someone, you might just change his or her life. You may think you are just one person in this world but to one person you might just be the world! the definition of loyalty is “The willingness to make an investment or personal sacrifice to strengthen a relationship.” Lets live it!!!
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