Loyalty
Loyalty
[lóy ltee] (plural loy·al·ties) noun: the
quality or character of being faithful,
truthful, and devoted to a
country, person, ruler, government, or ideal
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The biblical virtue of loyalty is the
character of being truthful, faithful, respectful, obedient, and devoted to God,
our Creator, by doing the will
of God. Then what is the will of God? The will of God is expressed and
embodied in the Ten Commandments
written by God Himself on the two tablets given to Moses on Mount Sinai for the whole human
race . The
commandment is not given to us as rules of dos and don’ts, but rather the
principles of love (Rom 13:8-10). It teaches us to love God
with all our heart and with all our soul. It also teaches us to love
our neighbors. But can we love God and hate our neighbors? Apostle John tells us
these words, “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in
darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and
there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in
darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because
that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” I Jn 2:9-11. Therefore, loving God and
loving neighbors do not conflict!
The virtue of loyalty is based on love.
Love requires truthfulness, respectfulness,
obedience, commitment, endurance, and even sacrifice, from which comes the
virtue of loyalty. The Bible gives us clear instructions on whom and how should
we show loyalty to specific people. For example, children
ought to honor their parents (Eph 6:1);
servants, obey their masters (Col 3:22-23;
1Pet 2:18); countrymen, honor their kings
(1 Pet 2:17), obey rulers, magistrates, principalities
and powers (Titus 3:1; Rom 13:1-7); and husbands,
to love their wives
and the wives, to submit to their husbands (1 Pet 3:1,7; Eph 5:33; Col
3:18-19).
From Daniel’s story, we learn
about Daniel’s loyalty to God and the king. It is certain that only when men
allowed the hand of Satan into their lives, work, and beliefs, and attempted to
put themselves above God, shall there
be traps of choosing
between God and man. In
our story, Daniel was loyal to both God and the king on a daily basis. He prayed
and worshiped God every day, and he was working hard for the king. By doing
that, his life was miraculously saved by the
power of God and he was also greatly honored by the king
too.
In our own lives, we, too, may get caught up
in the dilemma of not knowing whether we should obey God or man. Even in a
child’s simple life, there can be such choices as to whether he or she should
listen to the parents or to his or her best friend. What shall we do
then? In the New Testament, when the Jewish rulers were trying to stop Peter and
other apostles from spreading the good news about Jesus, Peter answered, “Whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye”;
Acts 4:19; “We ought to obey God rather men”. Acts 5:29. With regard to
their actions, a Pharisee, Gamaliel, teacher
of the law, counseled the people and rulers, saying: "Ye men of
Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For
before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a
number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as
many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose
up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after
him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And
now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this
counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye
cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” Acts
5:34-39. This is sound advice to us today.
We all know that being loyal in good times is
much easier than in bad times. Daniel had set a good example for us by remaining
loyal to God when his life was in danger, for true loyalty is manifested more
clearly in bad times than in good times.
Please discuss the following questions with
your children: