How Important is it to be Faithful?

Faithfulness as a fruit of the spirit is the quality of being faithful.  So, let's talk about being faithful.  In the 20th and 21st century, we've tended to define this word in terms of marriage.  Are you faithful to your spouse? We mean have you forsaken romantic and sexual contact from people who are not your marriage partner.  Boy, is it convenient or what to so completely narrow the definition of being faithful.   Fidelity, a synonym of faithful, IS an important component of a successful marriage.  It illustrates the origin of the word which flows all the way back to the Latin word 'fiducia' meaning 'trust'.

However, in broader terms one is faithful to what one thinks is important.  On an 'oh duh' level, we are faithful to our jobs in that we go everyday, and a majority of Americans (according to a Gallup Poll) are mostly satisfied with their work, and about half as many again love their work.  We, as a culture, are faithful to work.

We are faithful to our sports teams, our preferences, and our hobbies.  We never miss a 'game'.  We only listen to techno, punk, heavy metal, easy listening, classical, rock and roll, classic rock and roll, country/western, or nuevo anything.  We are faithful to styles and tastes.  We are at the gym, taking a yoga, zumba, kickboxing or pilates class.  We are at exercise boot camp, lifting weights, walking or jogging.  We embroider, sew, knit, read, write, woodwork, attend club meetings, play cards, go to museums, travel, cook, concoct exotic cocktails, read, watch tv, 'stream' or fool around on the internet.  Being faithful to all these 'things' means they are so important to us we never miss an opportunity to do them.

However, how faithful are we to the non-partner people in our lives when it is time to shoulder some of the tough stuff.  Did you dodge the phone call/text/email/letter from a friend in pain with the excuse, "I don't know what to say."  Do you try to get out of extended family obligations because they are inconvenient or boring?  Do you fail to step up or step out when it's obvious there's an opportunity.  "Opportunity" was the favorite word of a friend of mine.  She meant:  Show your faithfulness.  And, yes, she's dead, but I still see those damn 'opportunities' all around me.

If you are still reading, congratulate yourself.  People who don't want faithfulness to be expanded to the idea of being faithful to others have already stopped reading.  So, today, be faithful to your job and your spouse and to your interests, and your friends, but realize it's equally important to be faithful to the need of your neighbors, you know, those people whose paths intersect your own.