LOYALTY

When it comes to shaving, I buy one brand:  Gillette.   I have nothing against the other brands, but I buy Gillette shaving products because the father of the kid who led me into a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ”  (or “got me saved” or however you want to put it) back in 1970 worked for Gillette.  That’s all I needed to know.  This family brought me the good news of salvation.  The least thing I could do is use Gillette products!

When it comes to photocopiers, I lease one brand:  Sharp.  Granted, there are other good photocopiers, but back in 1987 an Assemblies of God church donated their old Sharp photocopier to our church in Framingham.  That copier has long ago died and been disposed of, and we’re on probably our 6th Sharp photocopier since then.

When I was a “new born-again Christian” I devoured material from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  I got my “spiritual pediatrics” from them.  Although my theological positions today are actually slightly different than Billy Graham’s, I’m still and always will be VERY supportive of the Billy Graham organization.  I have not forgotten that spiritual nurturing.

I think my favorite kind of coffee is Dunkin’ Donuts, but when it comes to “store-bought” coffee, it’s always Folgers.  Years ago I knew a guy who worked for Proctor & Gamble.  Folgers is made by Proctor & Gamble- so I still buy it.

Melaleuca Inc. would probably not want me sharing this because in a sense sharing it goes against their marketing policy and techniques, but my wife and I “enrolled” in Melaleuca in June 1995 though Rev. and Mrs. Jim Spence.  Jim was Executive Director of “The Bridge House” in Framingham.  Since Non-Profits can enroll as Melaleuca members, Jim and Bev encouraged us that if we enrolled it would really help them and The Bridge House financially.  That was all I needed to know.  We enrolled.  I was surprised a few years later when Jim told me I was the most enthusiastic and committed Melaleuca “Marketing Executive” they had enrolled.  I had TRIED several times to enroll others and never had any success.  I love the Melaleuca bathroom bar soap and “tooth polish” as well as the hairspray and vitamins.  That’s part of why I continue to place a Melaleuca phone order each month (as required).  But the biggest reason is that I know it helps Jim and Bev Spence (now retired) and The Bridge House.  It amazed me that in “presenting Melaleuca” to people, even when I pointed that out (about helping the Spences and The Bridge House) it did not persuade them to sign up!

In the Assemblies of God a local pastor who is “over” about twenty other pastors and churches is called the Sectional Presbyter.  I think the world of my current Sectional Presbyter, Rev. Rick Amendola of Webster, MA.  No matter how inconvenient a Sectional meeting may be, I always try to attend and be supportive out of loyalty and appreciation.

I also appreciate the Rev. Rich Hurst, the current “Convener” of the Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association.  I have actually reworked my schedule several times this past year to make it to meetings out of appreciation to him and this year’s officers.

Admittedly, sometimes the loyalty thing can be challenging.  A few weeks ago, FMTalk 96.9 radio host Michael Graham had a big rally at the State House in opposition to illegal immigration.  Graham pled for his listeners to attend.   I felt for him.  Although I DO believe we need to secure our borders and that we must not allow any more illegal aliens to enter our country, it’s not as much of a hot button issue with me as it is for him.   The number one reason I attended was to show appreciation for Michael Graham.  Last week, Michael Graham chided Ted Welte and the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce for supporting the “Day Without Immigrants” (Monday, May 1).  This DID create a loyalty conflict for me as our church is a Member of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, and I believe Welte and the Chamber have been very good to us.  I chose to take May 1 off (not my usual day off) and not open the church office up on May 1 out of loyalty to Ted.   It was for that reason only- out of loyalty to Ted Welte.  I would not expect Michael Graham to understand that.  Newspaper writer Jeff Adair called me a couple of weeks ago to ask for my take on the illegal alien issue.  Honestly, I kind of wished he hadn’t called me on that one, but he’s been VERY good to our church in print.  You guessed it.  I commented and was quoted in his (Sunday, April 30) piece on the issue out of a sense of loyalty and appreciation to him.

I don’t expect everyone who reads this to “get” it.  And, no, I would not be loyal to the point that I would cover up a crime for somebody or anything like that.  But I do have an admittedly very old-fashioned sense of loyalty to friends, family, ministerial colleagues, and even products.  Honestly, if there is one think I’d change about my world it would be this:  I would want everybody I know to be just as loyal as I am!

From the little book of Third John, verse  11:  “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.  He that doeth good is of God:  but he that doeth evil hath not seen God”.  (I want to focus on “...follow that which is good...” .)  The kid of loyalty I’m talking about is “following that which is good”.  

Now, I hope that out of a sense of loyalty or appreciation you’ll either e-mail me or leave a comment about this piece here on the blog.  If you think I’m trying to MAKE you get into the habit of being more cognizant of being loyal and appreciative to others- you’re right...that’s exactly what I’m doing!  Even if you hated this piece, let me know!