This letter is from Paul,... and from our brother Timothy. We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. ...For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. Colossians 1: 1-4 NLT

Faithful. What do you think of when you hear that word? A hound-dog that never leaves their master's side? The greeter that is at the door every Sunday? The janitor who never takes a day off from school? We often think of a faithful person as one you can count on to keep showing up and doing the same thing without fail. But is that the best definition?

I recently read a book by Mark Batterson called Primal: A Quest For The Lost Soul of Christianity. In the book Batterson has this to say about faithfulness:

"Faithfulness is not holding the fort. Faithfulness is not defending the status quo. Faithfulness is the courage to incarnate the gospel in creative ways. Faithfulness is experimenting with new ways of doing discipleship. Faithfulness is playing offense for the kingdom even if some Pharisees find it offensive." (Kindle page 113).

I found that to be a challenging definition of faithfulness. Instead of thinking of faithfulness as always doing the same thing, Batterson challenges the reader to think of faithfulness as finding creative ways to continue to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. I want to be found faithful in that way. What about you?

In his letter to the Colossians, the apostle Paul stated that he was writing to the "faithful brothers and sisters" in Colossae. Who did Paul consider faithful? Those who were not being swayed by false teachers and held fast to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In all of Paul's writings, he really only has one theme: Jesus. Jesus first. Jesus always. Jesus at the beginning. Jesus at the end. Jesus no matter what. To Paul a faithful life isn't about a particular way of thinking or even a particular way of acting. To Paul faithful thinking and acting flow from knowing Jesus and making Him the priority of life.

So, what does that mean to us? False teachers are not new and they aren't old. They are current. They are now. What the Colossians dealt with still exists, although the form may be different. You and I not only contend with false religions outside of Christianity, we deal with many brands of Christian teaching and many Big Name teachers. I am not saying that every Big Name teacher is wrong or that nothing they say is valid. But if you and I focus on their teachings more than we focus on reading the Scriptures for ourselves and focusing on Jesus Himself, then we are going to get distracted from the truth of the Gospel. That may cause us to slip in our faithfulness.

Paul wrote to the Colossians as a tool to combat false teaching, but identifies those to whom he is writing as faithful. He is writing to those who ARE faithful to encourage them to remain faithful. The Colossians haven't met Paul yet, but Paul has gotten a good report of their faithfulness to Jesus and thanks God for it. He declares that their faithfulness, expressed in LOVE for Gods people, results from their FAITH in Jesus and HOPE that He will fulfill His promise of eternal salvation, the message they heard from the beginning. Their faithfulness was born of faith in Jesus, expressed in love for His people and rooted in hope of eternity. The Colossians found "the courage to incarnate the Gospel in creative ways" in the midst of challenges within and without the church. They stayed focused on Jesus.

What is the key for you and me to remain faithful in the midst of challenges within and without the church? Some tips from Paul:

Faithfulness starts with a focus on Jesus. You and I are constantly clawed at by combating viewpoints. Even within the Christian community there are conflicting views about a variety of concepts, but faithfulness to Christ begins with a focus on Christ Jesus Himself. It starts by loving Him and His Word.

Driving on a crowded highway is not one of my favorite things. I find myself getting anxious and distracted by all the moving traffic. My preference is a one-lane road lined with trees and breaks of sunshine, a relaxing ride where I don't need to focus on how other people are driving. But in those crowded situations I have learned that what I need to do instead of focusing on the other driver is to just keep concentrating straight ahead in my lane, not unaware of everything else, but intent on where I want my car to go. Similarly, if I keep looking straight ahead to Jesus, all the other moving parts of life fade into the background. What matters most is that I love Him and live for Him.

Faithfulness is expressed in love for people. It is an often overlooked truth of Christianity that the way that God has chosen for His people to express their love for Him is through love for others. Now that's a challenge! If life was just about me and Jesus, everything would be peachy. I wouldn't have to deal with that family member hitting my hot buttons that cause me to lose it. Or that grocery clerk paying attention to everything but my order, making mistakes and laughing with a co-worker while I am in a hurry. Political turmoil and government decisions wouldn't be an issue. Just me and Jesus and my behavior would be perfect all day every day. But...other people get in the way of my perfect self! Other people are the way that God wants me to live out my love for Him. Forgiving that family member, being patient with the grocery clerk and respectful to the government shapes my character into a better reflection of Jesus.

Jesus has made it clear that the two most important commandments given in the Old Testament are to love God with all your heart (Deuteronomy 6:5) and to love people with the same care you give yourself (Leviticus 19:18). All four of the gospel narratives emphasize that. There is no way around it. Love for God is expressed through love for people. Creatively incarnating the Gospel, being faithful, means we are constantly challenged to find new ways to do just that.

Faithfulness is rooted in the hope of eternity. Confident hope in Christ transforms your life. That is an amazing thing! Like staying focused on my lane in traffic helps me to navigate a busy highway, staying focused on the hope of eternity with Christ helps me to recognize what really matters. Eternal perspective motivates faithfulness. It helps me not to be distracted by the messiness of life and keeps me centered in the long view. In a thousand years, what my neighbor or a family member said to me won't matter. Nor will how much money I have in the bank, or the pain in my body or the anguish in my heart. It's not that those things are unimportant. They are. They matter. They affect life in the here and now. But in the light of eternity, they are temporary and momentary "light afflictions." (2 Corinthians 4:18) Keeping my eyes fixed on the unseen future rather than the visible present transforms my perspective. It makes it easier to loosen my grip on trying to control circumstances in the here and now. It helps me to look past the pain to the time when it will all be over. Oh, what a day that will be! An eternal perspective helps me to live faithfully now.

Dear Friend, if Paul were writing to me, I would want him to address his letter to "the faithful sister." I know that you'd want the same thing. Paul makes it clear that faithfulness to Jesus starts and ends with Jesus. So, let's stay focused on Him, His character, His example, His teaching. If you and I can stay focused on Jesus, not whatever Big Name is preaching and teaching, then we will remain faithful. Let's have the courage to incarnate the Gospel in creative ways, to love people and keep the long view. Because at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is Jesus.

Key Thought: Faithfulness to Christ is expressed in love for people and hope for eternity.

A Scripture to Consider:We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. ...For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. Colossians 1: 2-4 NLT

A YES Challenge: What distracts you from staying focused on Jesus? What action can you take to choose to remain focused on Him?

Prayer: Lord, there are so many things calling for my attention, so many things that demand my energy and emotions. I realize that these things distract me from what really matters. They distract me from You. Help me to stay focused on You first and You only. Help me to express my love for You through love for the people in my life. Help me to keep an eternal perspective. Let that hope lead me to a faithful life. Amen.