The ultra-enthusiastic singing, flag waving, drum beating, and cheering at the soccer match I attended in Guadalajara, Mexico, while visiting our son, was great fun. But something about it surprised me. When the visiting team scored a goal, the fans of the home team sang louder and waved their flags more vigorously. When the visitors scored again, the home fans gave undiminished encouragement. Even though their team was soundly defeated, the home fans were bursting with appreciation and devotion until well after the game. At most sporting events in my country, supporters of the losing team become subdued, perhaps critical of their team or the officiating, and may even leave the game early. But the Mexican soccer fans’ loyalty was from the heart and not contingent on the outcome of the match.
The home fans were craving a victory, but something else was more important—fidelity—support that doesn’t turn off and on according to how things are going. The game made me think that real faithfulness is constant, not circumstantial or hinging on desired outcomes. Faithful means constant, loyal, reliable, resolute, unwavering.
We know what faithfulness looks like. We see it in an unselfish marriage partner, a devoted school teacher, a reliable business colleague, a steadfast church worker. Christian Science teaches that such faithfulness is actually natural to each one of us. It is not the private possession of a few loyal hearts. Each one of us includes the God-given wisdom to be faithful to whatever is right and good.
