Episode 264: I’m Talkin. . .Loyal

I’m talking episode 264 for May 7th, 2023.

This is Joel from the I’m Talking microcast, where I share my thoughts on a topic that has piqued my interest this past week.

This week, we’re talking loyal.

To me, loyal seems like an older word, something I remember maybe more from my childhood and growing up, maybe some things in sports a little bit, but it doesn’t seem to be a word that we use all that much.

And because of that, maybe we’re unsure of exactly what it means.

And so I looked up a definition and the one that I liked was a constant support and allegiance to someone or something, maybe an idea or a concept or a person or an entity, whatever that may be.

And it’s that constant support and allegiance.

What does that look like?

Does that mean we’re not allowed to question anything?

Does that mean when we’re loyal to someone, it doesn’t matter what they do, we always have their back?

It’s hard to judge sometimes, but to me, that allegiance, that constant support means that the person knows we’re always there for them.

Doesn’t mean that we won’t point out mistakes or faults that they need to work on, that we help them be a better person.

It doesn’t mean that whatever they do, they just get away with it because we’re so loyal.

It may mean that we give them the benefit of the doubt.

And then I started thinking, how does that manifest itself in this world that we live in today?

Often in today’s world, when we think of being loyal to something, it comes down to a person’s character maybe, but so much we see, I think of what we see in today’s world is chasing the next thing, making sure you’re on the right side of the next big, whatever it may be.

Maybe it’s loyal to a certain extent, but not constant allegiance, not constant support.

So it may be that we feel like we’re loyal to something, but as soon as something goes sour, we’re turning and running.

And I don’t think, actually I know, that that’s not what the word means.

And therein lies the challenge for those of us who call ourselves Christians.

Why do we have trouble with being loyal?

Well, the reason that that happens is because we are often being loyal to other fallen humans, to imperfect situations, to imperfect entities and people and thoughts.

And so we are nervous to be 100% loyal because we don’t know what that person or entity might do next.

And so we can kind of grasp that.

But when it comes to Jesus Christ, who never changes, who never casts a shifting shadow, then we must be 100% loyal, constantly supportive of the ideas that he places in his word.

If anyone changes that level of loyalty, it’s because they change, not because the word of God changed.

And so how do we maintain a state of being loyal in the face of possible ridicule, for sure opposition, and if not now, eventually, or depending on where you live currently, facing persecution?

Well, the reason that we can do that is because in the act of saving us, and us calling on the name of Jesus Christ, he has given us the Holy Spirit to live inside of us.

We have the power of the Holy Spirit to make sure that we remain loyal, and not just kind of loyal like we might to human people or entities because we think they might not stay the same over the years and we want the right to have an out.

But this is a full on, 100% constant allegiance to someone who is perfect, and we know he is correct and right and holds the truth of everything in his hands.

And because we know that, and we know there is no other who is worthy to remain loyal to, we give 100%.

Some may say, to a fault, we are loyal to the thoughts and words and truth and person of Jesus Christ, and that’s okay, because that’s exactly where we have to be to live sold out for the glory of God.

Until next week, this is Joel from the I’m Talking Microcast.