Loyalty

Articles

Philip C. Strong
07/31/24 - Discipleship

Loyalty (as the quality or state of being “loyal”) is one of those words that most people understand, but may have a difficult time precisely defining. We seem to know what it means to be “loyal” when a dog is such to their primary human. Years ago I had a Blue Merle Australian Shepherd that loved to ride in the back of my truck. Once, I told “Baby” (she was already named when we got her) that she could go with us, and lowered the tailgate so she could hop in, which she eagerly did. But then I returned inside to retrieve something as Donna came outside. Not knowing that I had told Baby she could go, and seeing her in the bed of the truck, Donna proceeded to tell her she couldn’t go, and to get down out of the truck. Baby first turned her head away, and wouldn’t look at her. Then when Donna began to scold her, she dropped her head and slinked up toward the front of the truck bed as if to crawl under the toolbox out of Donna’s reach, but declined to obey. My father-in-law, who was watching all of this transpire, began to laugh and remarked, “Well I guess we know whose dog Baby is. Philip told her she could go and she’s not going to listen to you!” Loyalty (plus, Baby really wanted to go!).

Even without definitions or canine examples of such, we generally know what “loyalty” looks like in friends. It’s someone who is reliable and always there for us; someone who has always proven themselves to be worthy of our trust; someone who is devoted to us and our best interests, even if that means telling us uncomfortable or painful truths; and someone who will remain steadfast and will not abandon us despite our mistakes and failures. Loyal.

Likewise, we seem to understand “loyalty” in reference to spouses. A “loyal” spouse is faithful, not just regarding intimacy, but also in devotion. They are selflessly devoted to no one more than their mate. Additionally, a “loyal” spouse is one who can be trusted implicitly, not just in words but also in deeds. They never say anything “disloyal” to their mate, and they never do anything that could be construed as “disloyal” either. They can be relied upon to love their mate in all the ways Paul describes in 1Cor.13:4-8a; and to remain true and faithful in “sickness and health, poverty or wealth, good times or bad.” Loyal.

Loyalty also has spiritual applications and implications. We understand what “loyalty” is, and conversely what its counterparts and counterfeits look like, when we are the object, but what about when we are supposed to be “loyal” to:

God? There is no question of His “loyalty” to us, but are we “loyal” to Him? Can He depend on our reliability, trust-worthiness, devotion, and steadfastness? Are we constant in our associations with Him, or only when such is convenient to or for us? He always tells us the truth (cf. Rom.4:3; Heb.6:18), but are we “loyal” to always speak truth to Him? Or do we sometimes say things to Him that we know are not true- especially regarding how much we love and are devoted to Him? Can He depend on our faithful steadfastness? Are we “loyal” to the One on whom we so much depend?
Christ? He is our spiritual spouse, cf. Eph.5:22ff; Matt.9:15. Are we “loyal” to Him as such? Or, like a disloyal spouse, do we merely feign affection while adulterously loving the world, Rom.7:3? Are we “loyally” devoted to Him, or are secretly serving another Master, Rom.6:16ff? Are we a “loyally” submissive wife, or one who willfully rebels at every chance (usually when we think we are no longer in His presence) to be our own person and do what “I” want or “I” think is best?
The Word? We purport and sing of being “loyal” to the Word, but are we really as faithfully devoted to it as we claim? Do we trust it as true above all else? Or does doubt lead us into distrust and disobedience? Do we depend on it as an ever-faithful guide, or are we prone to substitute our own thoughts and feelings for it when the rubber of life meets the hard road of difficult circumstances? The Word is true, but are we “loyal” and true to it?

The long and the short of it is that while we may relish and even demand “loyalty” of others to ourselves, we are all-too-often not nearly as “loyal” as we might assume. But it doesn’t have to be this way. When we come to realize the absolute loyalty of God, Christ, and the Word to us, we too can become truly “loyal” to them, as well as our friends and spouses… and perhaps even to our dogs.