“Most men will proclaim each his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” – Proverbs 20:6

I still remember a gateman we once had. When he had just come, he did his job so well that everyone was impressed.

But a few weeks into the job, he started developing a funny attitude.

He would go away in the evenings to hang out with his new friends in the trading centre, leaving no one to attend to the gate.

Every time his boss would come around, he would find the guy away from his workstation. Dude didn’t last even three months.

It is probably a general human weakness. I mean one declares how good and competent one is and promises heaven and earth during the interview.

But as soon as the job is secured, disrespect for supervisors and fights with co-workers start. He starts finding every flimsy excuse to be away from work.

In our meditation verse today, King Solomon – who had a massive workforce – makes the same observation about human behavior.

Talk is cheap but in every area of human endeavor, the search for a truly faithful person is a never-ending one.

I liked the word used for ‘faithful’ in the original language. ‘Pistos’ denotes someone ‘to be trusted’ or ‘who is reliable.’

God wants us to be faithful like He is faithful – to be reliable (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 119:90).

To what extent can your character be described as faithful in the performance of your responsibilities?

At the workplace, it’s the faithful employees – those who are committed to consistently doing their best – who make their organisations shine.  

Inevitably, they are also the ones who are usually the first to get the promotion and the pay raise, of course to the chagrin of the ‘pretenders.’

Just show me a successful business or company and I’ll show you a few faithful and reliable people in it who are doing a lot more than the rest; who are always there serving diligently in thick and thin; come rain, come shine.

There is no shortage of so-called skilled, talented, qualified and competent pretenders.  However, what our world desperately needs to go to the next level are reliable, dependable and faithful people.

Even when it comes to Church ministries, faithful ministers are the fuel that drives them forward.

For example, the apostle Paul had a number of committed fellow ministers but he singled out one brother called Tychicus for special commendation because of his faithfulness.

In Ephesians 6:21-22, the apostle described Tychicus as “a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord….whom I have sent to you ….. that he might comfort your hearts.”

There is no record of any sermons or miracles that Tychicus preached or performed but Paul describes him as “a beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord’s work.”

So reliable and dependable was Tychicus that the apostle could send him to Ephesus because he trusted him to be a source of comfort to the believers.

That’s what faithfulness does – it encourages other people, even without one noticing.

Yes, you can describe yourself as a good employee or a proud member of that Church but to what extent can other people describe you as a faithful person?

There is no shortage of skilled, talented, qualified and competent pretenders.

However, what our world desperately needs to go to the next level are reliable, dependable and faithful people.

Prayer:

Almighty God, great is your faithfulness and dependability! Help me to be like You in everything I do that I may be a blessing to many. For the glory of your Name, Amen!