The Lost Art of Loyalty

[Dan R. Crawford]

A casual observance of society reveals loyalty is a lost art. In earlier days, sports fans could expect professional athletes to remain with one team for the life of their career.  Now loyalty yields to a "show me the money" mentality. My grandparents believed, to guarantee a long marriage they should leave the word "divorce" out of their vocabulary. Now loyalty gives way to no cause, easy access divorce. A recent survey showed 57% of workers are dissatisfied with their jobs and would change employers immediately if a better position were offered to them. So much for vocational loyalty. At the first hint of disagreement or dis-satisfaction, loyal church members transfer membership down the road or across town. An old favorite hymn, written for the first convention of the Baptist Young People’s Union in 1894 would no longer be popular if we sang, “From over hill and plain there comes the signal strain, ’Tis loyalty, loyalty, loyalty to Christ; Its music rolls along, the hills take up the song, Of loyalty, loyalty, yes, loyalty to Christ. ‘On to victory! On to victory!’ Cries our great Commander, ‘On!’ We’ll move at His command, We’ll soon possess the land, Through loyalty, loyalty, Yes, loyalty to Christ.” The Bible says, “Let your heart therefore be loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments” (1 Kings 8:61).  May this kind of loyalty never be a lost art.