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What does it mean to you when you give your word? When you tell someone—your spouse, your employer, a friend—that you will do something, do you do it? Faithfulness is about being reliable, trustworthy, and constant. It’s about being loyal, devoted, dedicated and true. It means that when you give your word you keep it. It means that you don’t betray another’s trust. You don’t go behind someone’s back to dishonor them or to gain your own advantage.

Proverbs 25:13 says that a faithful messenger is as refreshing to those who send him as the cold of snow is at harvest time. Be careful not to misinterpret this. This verse is not suggesting that there would be a blanket of snow on the ground at harvest time; this would only ruin the crops. But bringing in the crops in the Middle East at harvest time would have been hot, tiring labour. The cold of snow—in a drink of water, on a cold cloth for your forehead, or in a gentle breeze—would have been most welcome. In the same way, an employer who can trust in his messenger service, has no need to be concerned. That too would be refreshing.

One of the definitions of faithfulness is to be true to the original. There is no one more faithful than the Creator. Deuteronomy 7:7-9 assures us that God loves His people, not because of anything that we have done, but because He is faithful, and He loves us. He made a promise to the ancestors of Israel, and He was faithful to keep His promises. God has made promises to us too, and He is still faithful, for He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that faithfulness is part of the fruit of the Spirit. We can strive to be faithful, that’s a good goal, but the more we have the Holy Spirit, the more God’s faithfulness will shine through us.