Love & Faithfulness
King Solomon lays out two of the most important things a person can have in life- love and faithfulness. Paul also reiterated this in 1 Corinthians 13:13 when he wrote, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Opening Text
Proverbs 3:3-4, “3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”
Definitions
- Love: To have strong emotion, self-sacrifice, and dedication to someone.
- Faithfulness: To be committed, dedicated, and trustworthy to someone.
- Never Leave You: Always have them with you.
- Bind Them Around Your Neck: Wear them like a necklace for you and all to see.
- Write Them On Your Heart: Hide them deep within your thoughts, to the core of your being, and be consistent with who you are both in public and private.
- Win Favor: To have unprecedented and uncommon opportunities to succeed.
- A Good Name: The positive impression and reputation people have of who you are.
- In the Sight of God and Man: You will be honored by God and man- both in heaven and here on earth.
What Proverbs Says About Love and Faithfulness
- Love and faithfulness are the fruit of a good plan, Prov. 14:22
- Sin is atoned for by love and faithfulness, Prov. 16:6
- Love and faithfulness keep a King and his kingdom safe, Prov. 20:28
How to Love
- Love God by worshipping Him (John 4:23) & keeping His commands (John 14:15).
- Love people by helping them in their times of need (1 John 3:17-18) & preaching the Gospel to them (1 Cor. 9:16).
The result of love… “love covers all wrongs,” Prov. 10:12.
How to Be Faithful
- Be faithful to God by doing what He commanded & remaining to the end, Matthew 24:45 & Matt. 25:21.
- Be faithful to man by doing what you said & being reliable, Phil. 2:22 & Prov. 20:6.
The result of faithfulness is fruitfulness, John 15:5, “If I am faithful, then God will make me fruitful.”
- If I am faithful to my spouse, then God will make me fruitful in my marriage.
- If I am faithful to look for a job, then God will make me fruitful in finding employment.
- If I am faithful on my job, then God will make me fruitful in my occupation.
- If I am faithful to my church, then God will make me fruitful in my ministry.
- If I am faithful in my studies, then God will make me fruitful in my grades.
- If I am faithful to my friends, then God will make me fruitful in my friendships.
- If I am faithful to God in my tithes and offerings, then God will make me fruitful in finances.
- If I am faithful to share my faith, then God will make me fruitful in soul winning.
- If am faithful with soul winning, then God will make me fruitful in discipleship.
Examples of Faithfulness & Extras:
- A faithful person is blessed, Prov. 28:20
- Those given other’s trust must be faithful, 1 Cor. 4:2
- Timothy was faithful to Paul and the ministry, 1 Cor. 4:17
- Tychicus was faithful to tell everything God had told him, Eph 6:21
- Epaphras was a faithful minister to his home church in Colossae, Col. 1:7
- Onesimus was faithful to tell everything God was going in Paul’s ministry, Col. 4:9
- Silas was faithful to the family of God, 1 Pet. 5:12
- All disciples are to be faithful unto death, Rev. 2:10