How much time, effort, and money have you put into emergency readiness? In other words, do you have a blanket, flashlight, and prepackaged food in your vehicle in case you break down somewhere? Do you have dried food, a barrel of iodine infused water, and antibiotics stored in your basement or pantry? How prepared are you if the electricity goes out? How long can you last if widescale disruption strikes the electrical grid, the trucking network that supplies local stores, or internet service providers?

Some of us worry more about the future than others. Some of us stroll through life without a care in the world. We don’t imagine worst case scenarios. We don’t take steps to mitigate risk, much less be a resource to help others in hard times. Others, however, are ever aware of potential problems and nightmare scenarios. Furthermore, they know that preparation is the key to security when the unpredictable becomes reality. These people not only prepare for themselves, but for their families, and for others in their world. They are the loyalists.

What’s Great about Loyalists

Loyalists are great people. They tend to be responsible people of integrity, caring toward others, and remarkably objective. They may be skeptical of someone at first, but once they become friends, they tend to be friends for life. What’s more, loyalists make great friends who are dependable, supportive, and protective. Also, they can see an issue or situation from multiple angles, which can be a real asset at work or in relationships.

Of all the biblical examples, Ruth stands out to me as a loyalist. A Moabite from birth, she had joined an Israelite family, marrying one of Naomi’s two sons. Tragically both men died, leaving Ruth and her sister-in-law, Orpah, widows. Having lost her husband and
both of her sons, Naomi decided to return home to Judah where she heard there was food. Before leaving, she released her daughters- in-law of any obligation to her, sending them to their families of origin.

Ruth 1:8–9. 8 “…Go, return each of you to her mother’s
house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have
dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The LORD grant that
you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!”
Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and
wept.

They both replied to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” Although their situation was bleak, it didn’t compare to Naomi’s. Orpah and Ruth could always get married again and hope to rear children, but Naomi had already built a home and lost it
all—and now, she was too old to start over. Naomi didn’t want to inhibit their opportunities and said, “Turn back, my daughters; go your way…for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me” (Ruth 1:12-13). At
this, Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and went back to her mother’s household.

Not Ruth.

Ruth was not about to leave this kind woman in need. Who knows what would happen to Naomi if Ruth didn’t stay with her? Would she go hungry? Would she get sick and have no one to nurse her back to health? Would she fall victim to bandits as she walked alone on the way to Bethlehem? Ruth put her foot down, uttering the Bible’s most impressive statement of loyalty:

Ruth 1:16–17. 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave
you or to return from following you. For where you go I will
go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be
my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will
die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me
and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

Thank God for people like Ruth. Others would go home or pursue adventure, but Ruth forsook everything to take care of Naomi. What an example!

The Downside of Loyalists

However, like all personalities, loyalists have a dark side. Their ability to imagine problems often leads to anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. They are particularly susceptible to FOMO (fear of missing out), scouring information wherever possible and planning far in advance to ensure they book that vacation, purchase the tickets for that concert, or fill out the paperwork on time for their child’s fieldtrip.

Self-doubt and a strong need for security can lead loyalists to overly trust in authority figures. This makes them susceptible to whatever ideas and “common sense” happens to be ascendant in society at any given moment. Consequently, for better or worse, they tend to go with the flow. If the weatherman is predicting a major storm, loyalists will go to the supermarket in droves, buying out the milk, eggs, and flour just in case. They aren’t interested in charting their own course and ending up alone and unsupported.

One time, Jesus told a story about a farmer who had a bumper crop. Such a situation presented him with both good and bad news. Although having a larger harvest meant more food to sell, store, and consume, it also raised the logistical problem of where to put it all. The man reasoned as follows.

Luke 12:17-19. 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I
do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I
will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones,
and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I
will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for
many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’

This scenario is every loyalist’s dream. Their great desire is to achieve a position of security for the foreseeable future. They want to ensure that no matter what happens, they’ll be ok. And yet, Jesus continued the little parable.

Luke 12:20–21. 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night
your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared,
whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up
treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

The point of this illustration is not that preparation is foolhardy or sinful. The lesson isn’t that success or wealth are bad. The problem for this farmer was not that he had laid up treasure for himself, but that he was not rich toward God. Loyalists can get so fixated on planning for the future that they leave God out of the picture.

The Gospel for Loyalists

Loyalists are awesome people! There’s no one better on a camping trip, or any trip for that matter. They’ll have purchased the international phone plan ahead of time so their smartphone will work to call for help in a time of need. They’ll have a backup paper
map in their pocket and have memorized the address of the hotel, hospital, and embassy. They have the insurance in case they need to get a medical evacuation, and they know CPR in case anyone around them needs it. What’s more, they’re great friends and employees who always show up. They are committed, stable, and reliable. Their care for others and forethought make them great spouses and parents.

But, to be their best, loyalists need God. Only by connecting with the sovereign one, can they achieve serenity, especially in situations out of their control. God sees all and knows all. His plans stretch back thousands of years into the past and thousands more into the future. God can imagine every possible scenario that could ever play out. He alone is supremely prepared.

God knows where everything is heading. Throughout Scripture, we read about His ultimate plan to make everything wrong with the world right. Imagine a world in which good always wins, death is unheard of, and everyone lives in peace and safety. The Hebrew prophet, Ezekiel, tells us about God’s intentions for His people, here pictured as a flock of sheep.

Ezekiel 34:22. 22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no
longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.
23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant
David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be
their shepherd. 24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and
my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the
LORD; I have spoken. 25 “I will make with them a covenant
of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they
may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places all around my hill a
blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season;
they shall be showers of blessing. 27 And the trees of the
field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase,
and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall
know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their
yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved
them. 28 They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor
shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell
securely, and none shall make them afraid.

What a glorious vision of security! On the last day, God will judge our world, removing from it all who hurt, spoil, and take advantage of others. In that day, He will break the bars of our yoke, removing all predators, and enabling us to dwell safely, unafraid.

To gain admittance to this golden age of peace and prosperity, you must trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. By his death on the cross, Christ paid for your sins, enabling forgiveness of past wrongs. This means you can have a fresh start. Will you accept Christ as your personal Savior?

When God resurrected Jesus from the dead, He proved to everyone that he is His Son, the one anointed to rule humanity. As such, Christ is uniquely qualified to guide you through life. His teachings serve as the instruction manual for life, telling us how to please the heavenly Father and live righteously. Will you accept Christ as your personal Lord?

To benefit from this gospel message, you must first believe in it, secondly trust that Christ is your Savior, and thirdly commit to follow him as Lord. When you do so, you experience not only a clearing of all your guilt, but also a whole new way of life that conforms with God’s will. What’s more, you gain a family! All who believe in the gospel are also part of God’s adopted family. This means you can have community, not with fair-weather friends, but with those who are likewise committed to following Christ above their ethnic, political, and cultural allegiances. Those who remain faithful will enjoy eternity in the Kingdom of God.

The Challenge for Loyalists

It’s probably impossible to turn off that part of your brain that simulates potential future outcomes. In fact, I doubt it would be good to have the members of our communities particularly adept at anticipating problems to stop anticipating problems. However, potential negative outcomes need not overwhelm you if God is in your life. There’s no need to catastrophize or imagine that if such-and- such happens, it will be the end of the world. If you’re God’s child, even the worst crisis won’t leave you alone and without support. God is always with you.

Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and courageous. Do not
fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who
goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
The goal is to achieve inner peace on the basis of God’s love and
trust in His ultimate plan to establish His Kingdom on the last day.
When you have God at the center of your heart, you can defy the
fads and trends of our day—especially when they’re ungodly. You
can risk losing relationships if that is what is right, because your
relationship with God remains secure. And most of all, you can rest
in Him.

I had the most vivid dream…
My feet had left the ground,
I was floating to heaven
But I could only look down.
My mind was heavy,
Running ragged with worst case scenarios,
Emergency exits and the distance below.
I woke up so worried that the angels let go.
Oh God I’m so tired
Of being afraid.
…
I want to believe
No, I choose to believe
That I was made to become
A sanctuary.
Fear won’t go away
But I can keep it at bay
… And no matter what,
Somehow we’ll be okay.
Don’t be afraid.1

1. Sleeping at Last, “Six,” Asteroid B-612 on Atlas: Enneagram, July
11, 2019.