So…

Faithfulness is the next fruit of the Spirit listed in Paul’s letter to the Galatians chapter 5 in verses 22 & 23.

Paul there suggests the evidence of the Holy Spirit in us is made clear by how we live out God’s nature day to day. 

We are to reveal God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and now faithfulness in us, shining through us in all we do and are!

So, what exactly is faithfulness? 

The dictionary suggests loyalty, steadfastness, and our being true to the original. That is, when we are being most like Jesus, we are being faithful.

Others should be able to see God in us! We should be acting in our world, our communities, our families, and in the church the same way as Jesus would!

To be faithful, would be to be like Jesus. And while being faithful would entail thinking and believing as Jesus did, it would also require us to do as Jesus did! 

So, hanging out at church would be good. Hanging out with other disciples in small groups would be great!

But perhaps, hanging out with sinners and tax collectors would be amazing, because Jesus did that too!
So, just to do a bit of a self-check, how are you doing with all of that? 

Are the people you are hanging around with at home, at work, in church, on the ballfield, in the grocery store, at the doctor’s office, seeing Jesus in you?

You know several years ago when I was in Clinical Pastoral Education, they used to ask us questions like that. Zingers I think they call them! 

Questions that are intended to get you to look a bit critically at yourself to see if perhaps you are actually doing what you tell yourself you are doing.

And in that program, we had to answer them.

“So, Jeff, how well do you think you are doing reflecting Jesus in your life and ministry here?” 

“Well, I think I’m doing pretty good!” 

“Okay, so let’s check it out. Group, how do you think Jeff is doing revealing the character of Jesus? How well do you think he is acting like Jesus would act in these situations?”

And then you wait, as your skin goes red, your mouth goes dry, and you furiously try to think of ways to defend yourself for what you are sure has to be a long list of the times you failed and missed the mark!

All while, at the same time, hopefully realizing that defending yourself means perhaps being unwilling to accept the loving support and encouragement to grow in faith that is being offered by folks who are struggling to be like Jesus just as you are!
Because, you see, our faithfulness is evidence of God in us! Without it, we aren’t acting like God, who faithful.

And the story in Chronicles illustrates just that point!

God is faithful. Watch and see!

The Israelites, led by King Jehoshaphat were scared spitless. Three huge armies have joined together to come and beat them senseless and worse. 

Jehoshaphat knows they can’t win this war. They could have marched out and tried to defeat the enemy on their own. But it was obvious it was going to be an awful end.

Instead, Jehoshaphat calls on the Lord. But God’s answer is unusual. It’s not “take up your swords and go get them!” Instead, God says, “come with me and watch what happens.”

They could have begged God to let them do it, with just a bit of perhaps God’s razzle, dazzle. 

Instead, they had to stand before the enemy’s army, “naked and afraid” as it were, and watch God be faithful; demonstrating for them what faithfulness looks like! Doing what you say you are going to do.

It was a clear message for Israel, a message for the church, and a message for every disciple!

The fruit of the Spirit faithfulness is revealed when we do what we say we are going to do, just as God does what God says he is going to do. 

The spirit is revealed when we walk the talk! When the label of hypocrite cannot be applied to us. When we choose to take the Nike slogan as our own personal mantra to “Just do it”: feed the hungry, give drinks to the thirsty, care for prisoners of all kinds, bring healing words and actions to those who are struggling. 

Acting like Jesus!

Jesus offered up caring words. He touched and healed folks. He comforted the grieving and he confronted those who would tear things down for their own gain.

And he raised up disciples to “make a difference”.

We are invited to be those kinds of disciples: faithful!

So, the world can see that our promises matter. Our commitments matter. What we say we will do - we do. 

Israel struggled to be faithful, so God showed them what faithfulness looked like. And Jesus did exactly the same.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness, with two more to go. Be faithful! Amen.