Jim's Jots and Tittles. . .

Faithfulness

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

This is the way we build “faithfulness.” That is why it is so difficult to remain faithful to God and His word. Literally faithfulness means “full of faith.” Faith means the conviction of the truth of anything. Thus faithfulness is the character of one who can be relied upon, one who is fully persuaded or one who is full of trust and confidence.

From Adam and Eve to the seven churches in Revelation, a lack of character and faithfulness have had a consequence. Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, five of the seven churches would lose their candlestick if they did not repent.

Words such as hold fast, diligent, steadfast and immovable are used in the New Testament to describe one’s character and faithfulness. Jesus Himself described the faithful one’s destiny--”Be thou faithful unto death and I will five you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

—Jim Hunt