A Faithful Man

Read: Proverbs 19

"A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished." Proverbs 28:20

Examine:

Life is full of choices. Every moment of everyday a person makes decisions that lead down a path. Those choices get gray sometimes and it is hard to stick with what is right. In the end, choices lead to only two destinations; the way of the righteous or the way of the unrighteous. A faithful man does things the right way and finds prosperity in the end. A wicked man lies, cheats, hoards and swindles his way to success but will only find punishment in the end.

Apply:

To be a faithful man I have to value righteousness above all things and walk in it. This is not the same as trying to be righteous so that I can get something out of it. If that is the attitude of my heart then I am not really valuing righteousness, I am using it to find success. My heart has to place the righteousness of God as the top treasure that I seek. Pleasing God has to become my vision, my passion, and my reward.

If I am to be a faithful man I also have to be a hard worker. God is not a God of shortcuts and easy ways out. He values a hard worker and most of the scriptures speak to the fact that what I get out of life will come through the labor of my hands and the sweat of my brow. A faithful man loves the work more than he loves the reward.

A faithful man is also a gracious man. I have to live my life understanding that whatever God gives to me He desires for me to share with those who can not pay me back. This is not just talking about money. Whether their need be something social, emotional, practical, spiritual, or financial; I should live all of my days looking for opportunities to share whatever I have to offer with those who are without.

Finally, a faithful man speaks the truth. Sometimes speaking truth is easy. There are other times it is hard. Sometimes speaking the truth is to my advantage. There are other times it costs me something. Regardless of the cost, my life needs to carry the reputation of a man who has a heart of compassion, but will tell a person the absolute truth. Flattering evil men, spinning truth, avoiding confrontation or turning a blind eye are never traits becoming to a faithful man.

Pray:

My heart is deep and complex. The longer I live the more I come to realize that I will never fully understand its contents, motives, or secrets. You alone have the ability to examine it and reveal to me the truth about its contents. That is what I ask of You today. Above anything in life I want to be a man who is faithful to You. I ask that You move and stir in my life to such a degree that Your heart becomes my heart. Lead me to be a man who is faithful in every area of his life.