I recently had a job applicant who understood loyalty, as 14 months’ work in one place. That is not my definition of loyalty. We were taught a person is a loyal person if they stay with you through thick and thin. And it is few people who hang around and see a ministry, job, company, church, start and then thrive. That takes years. One person told me loyalty starts somewhere around 10 years plus of being in a place/position. Modern culture teaches jump from ship to ship. That does not breed loyalty at all. Whilst loyalty speaks of length of time spent, to achieve something, it reminded me of a parable in Lk 13: 8. A tree bore no fruit for 3 years. The owner said cut it down. The worker said...please one more year. If no fruit, then cut it down. The worker, cared so much for the tree not producing fruit. Labouring, without reward, is very difficult to do. It is seeing fruit that keeps us tending the tree. A dead tree, non bearing fruit is useless. Jeremiah was a preacher for 23 years in Jer 25: 3. And the end of verse 3, the people never turned to the LORD; they never repented. They never changed their ways. 23 years is a very long time in anyone’s reckoning. But preaching, without a soul repenting, is disheartening. I have been preaching at an institution for 23 years, and this is my last year. Disappointment, discouragement, are some of the reasons I am leaving. I did not wait for 3 or 4 years, but 23 years. I do believe that is loyal to my ministry and loyal to my calling. There comes a time, when you feel that your effort is not bringing any rewards. There is a time to look for more fertile and more productive souls. When people are motivated to hear the gospel, because of money received, that is no gospel. For a gospel to be effective, it must turn us away from worldly securities, so that we rely on God to organise our lives. It is like Is 29: 13 - they hear, but they hear nothing, they see, but they see nothing. Everything is compromised for the sake of money. That is no gospel at all. I always like to look at the simple, unspoken things written in the Word of God. A simple statement like Mk 10: 46 - in this one verse, Jesus came to Jericho and Jesus left Jericho. How long was he there? Don’t know. What did he do there? Don’t know. What I do know is Jesus makes sure you hear his word. It gives you a chance to accept it or reject it. One day, you will never hear the gospel again. And that one day, when you die, and Jesus passed through your life, and you never took the time to invite Jesus into your heart, will be the time you will reflect on in all eternity. Jesus walks into our life. Lk 13: 8 was 3-4 years. Nothing. Dead. Jer 25:3 was 23 years; nothing, dead. Do not take for granted one day you will make the decision to follow Christ. For you don’t know, Jesus may just leave Jericho today. The wind blows where it wants. You don’t know where it came from and you don’t know where it is going. We may think we have time to make decisions for Christ. But who said we will be here tomorrow? We get one life, to prove our loyalty. We get few chances in life, to be a loyal person; that must come through all the hardships of life, where we can be depended upon, relied upon for a task at hand. How does a person feel, who says…I am loyal? Are you loyal? 23 years, is a loyal person like Jeremiah. With nothing to show for it. Except loyalty. And in the end, that is all that matters.
MCC Admin
5 Tevet 5781