Our topic today is “The Blessing of Faithfulness.” Reading Psalm 101:6, David wrote: “My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me.” The New Living Translation reads this way: “I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me.” Let me also read Psalm 36:5: “Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” David describes the type of people that God will use greatly. He also expressed his preference for people who would serve with him. He stated that God wants—and he wants—faithful people as companions. He wasn’t looking for the famous, the wealthy, the powerful, or the self-promoting. Our faithfulness can only proceed from God’s faithfulness. As we read, God’s faithfulness reaches to the clouds. It is never about how many people you can count. It is always about who you can count on. What we want to settle in our hearts is this: We want to be faithful because God is faithful. Even giftedness is no shortcut, because giftedness without faithfulness becomes a liability. Walking with God and walking with others is beyond a casual association. Only faithfulness qualifies people for nearness and trust. Of all the characteristics required to serve God and serve others, being faithful is at the top of that list. Proverbs 28:20 reads: “A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.” So achieving blessing in life isn’t difficult; it is connected to faithfulness to God and faithfulness to others. When it’s all said and done, we want to hear the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 25:21: “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” Let me encourage you to listen to my message from last Sunday, which is part two of the series “Rooted and Grounded.” That message was entitled “Agency: The Power Working Within.” Never underestimate the power of God in you to give you the ability to act, to make things happen, and to influence your environment—and not just be influenced. That’s called agency. God bless. Have a great day, and be encouraged.