Faithfulness is an attainable skill few desire to master in pursuit of others more noble. Here is what I mean. First, faithfulness is something I'd argue all can demonstrate (for better as well as for worse) in some manner. Secondly, faithfulness is frequently skipped over enroute to other qualities; I want to be a great communicator; I want to be fit, I want to be better read, I want to influence, I want to _______ (you name it). When is the last time you heard someone say, "I just want to be faithful..." "I just want to be consistent." The next question is to what or to answer what is the object of faithfulness or the sought-after consistency. That being said, I'd argue there is great, overlooked value in being faithful and consistent when aimed appropriately.
Now, I purposefully put those words together or as I might now term them "faithful consistency." Being reliable is not just a process on-the-way to some other admirable character trait- it is one. And it is one that our brains can neurologically latch onto. You and I are true and steadfast (or should be) to a number of overlooked norms and qualities like eating, laughing, cleaning ourselves, etcetera, but how often do we think about what we are faithful in? Faithful to? Faithful with? Where does our present fidelity lie? Should it? How is it communicated?
We live in an era when everyone is trying to reinvent themselves, but what if we started by understanding and changing what, building off what we are presently faithful to? I wonder if we would have more opportunity if we were just faithfully competent and reliable to what has been given to us versus trying to add-on other qualities we can strap on. What if we were just faithful to what we have been given? What mountains might be moved?
Would we find areas to focus in on we had overlooked before? Existing roads to new destinations? We might uncover there are some things we are faithful to without reason or deeper things we need to double down in our attention and areas we need to refocus on where we are half-hearted in commitment to now. I will be the first to tell you that I can be faithful to a flaw, and faithful to some silly things. And on occasion, faithful to what turn out to be some worthless causes. But; oftentimes, following through, being dependable is commendable in and of itself, particularly if directed/pointed towards the right focus. Think about a time when someone has been physically present with and available to you. Faithfulness in presence was a gift well given and received.
I have been running into some interesting bouts of consistency- in my own life and that of others. Honestly, when written out, more have shocked me than initially thought. Some have downright frustrated and aggravated me (like the sounds from the air conditioning system and refrigerator ice machine at night when I lay down). And yet some, have been good reminders of the otherworldly, unseen reality co-existent with our present circumstances (like repeated words and phrases in the Bible).
Faithfulness and consistency do not always tell us what to change or even that anything needs to change; what they echo to us is that we need to remember and rethink what it means to be faithful in context and understand our relationship to them. Faithfulness is more than a route; it is in fact a destination.
Photo by Dimitar Donovski on Unsplash
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