LOYALTY

Philippines trip update:  We have added a fifth Pastor to our teaching team which reduces class sizes to about 10 Pastors. I have purchased my tickets for the flight and am now focused on lesson preparation in the midst of other demands.  Ongoing prayer is vital to this trip. Here is a list for prayer:
-finances for the trip 
-preparation of lesson plans and reading I need to get done
-good health, strength and daily stamina in the heat
-flight connections, travel safety, stamina for long flight
-physical safety in Philippines and safe in country travel
-perseverance, clear thinking, and wisdom in classes
-Pastors to be receptive, encouraged, built up in faith
-that I can be a rich blessing to these Pastors
-that I can grow spiritually, in humility and love
-unity and fellowship for our team

 What character trait do you admire? We all have favorite character traits and Bible characters that exemplify those traits. Is it courage that you admire or mercy or gentleness of faith? The character trait I most admire is loyalty and my favorite Bible characters for this trait are Abigail the wife of Nabal, and Uriah the husband of Bathsheba. 

For me, loyalty is more than being faithful to your commitments and to your family, friend or leader. With loyalty must come perseverance when conditions become unfavorable, uncomfortable, tiring, stressful, painful, extend over a longer period than first proposed, costly, humiliating, even shameful. Loyalty sticks it out to the end and remains until every loose end is tied up, and then rejoices or sorrows with family, friend or leader.

Loyalty must also have compassion. It must be more than legal loyalty or duty loyalty, a requirement, an obligation. The binding of loyalty must be deep friendship and may I even say biblical love.

This kind of loyalty is rare. It smells of heaven and reminds me of Jesus in relation to his Father and the Holy Spirit. I praise God for Jesus' loyalty and whenever I find loyalty in others.