Faithfulness Is Fire
written by David McClain, head of Friendship Christian School
I remember when my kids started twisting the noun “fire” and its cousin “lit” into predicate adjectives. “Fire” is (or was) used to describe something as exciting, trendy, cool, entertaining, successful, etc.
Such as—
“This book is fire!”
“That video was fire, bro!”
“School was lit today!
…..okay, maybe not that last one.…..
Each year, Friendship Christian School graduates a handful of students whose main aspiration is to live a life that is fire:
- a life that is full of excitement, entertainment, and adventure
- a life that leads to popularity and wealth
- a life that is anything but ordinary, dull, and uneventful
And while it’s easy to point to YouTube influencers, movies, or video games as agitators of this driving focus, I’m convinced the true instigator is found within—the sinful, deceitful heart of man. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
There is nothing inherently wrong with living a life that is full of excitement and entertainment, but God’s Word makes it clear that it is not to be our primary pursuit.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33
In I Timothy 6, Paul urges young Timothy to be cautious about those who preach a gospel other than that of Christ. He also warns against pursuing a love of money, and in verse 6 he writes, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Proverbs 28:20 tells us that “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.”
Finding someone who lives a faithful life is a rare thing.
Earlier in Proverbs, we see this truth, “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6).
Nehemiah, while rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem, gave his brother, Hanani, charge over Jerusalem “for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many” (Nehemiah 7:2).
This year, we celebrated Jim Bovard’s life of faithfulness. For forty years, Jim has served our ministry here at Friendship in many ways: building, repairing, maintaining, driving buses, and just being faithful.
His name is not famous nor is he rich. Many would say that he has lived a regular, boring life, but I believe that God would say that Jim’s life of faithfulness is fire.
We are called to rejoice evermore, give thanks in everything, be content with God’s provision, and walk faithfully before the Lord (I Thessalonians 5:16, 18; Hebrews 13:5; I Samuel 12:24).
Our highest pursuit should be to stand before God one day and hear these words