Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?
Prov. 20:6 NIV
“Eponyms” are words derived from the names of actual people. Examples include: maverick, boycott, silhouette, Braille, and “the real McCoy.” Even America gets its name from the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.
But have you heard of a Quisling?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “a person who helps an enemy that has taken control of his or her country; collaborator; enemy supporter.” Today it’s a synonym for “traitor.”
The word comes from Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945), a Norwegian army officer who met with Adolph Hitler in December 1939, just three months after the Nazis invaded Poland and WWII began. Quisling urged Germany to invade his native Norway, and due to his influential position in the Norwegian military and government, he passed secrets to the Nazis that helped make their invasion quick and successful, thus selling out his country to the despised enemy.
To reward him for his treachery, the Nazis installed him as puppet ruler of Norway. In power, Quisling worked to pervert Norwegian churches, schools, and youth to support Hitler. Quisling was even responsible for sending about one thousand Jews to concentration camps.
After Norway was liberated after WWII, Quisling was arrested, found guilty of treason and other crimes, and executed.
The opposite of a Quisling is a faithful person.
The Bible teaches us that God is faithful. “Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you” (Ps. 89:8 NIV).
Those who follow the Lord are to be faithful too, seeking God’s power and guidance to do so.
We are to be faithful employees. “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable” (I Peter 2:18 NASB).
We are to be faithful spouses. “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9.)
We are to be faithful participants in a church or fellowship. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Heb. 10:25 NLT).
We are also to be faithful as friends and in all our relationships. “A real friend sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 19:24). Pastor Chuck Swindoll in “Searching the Scriptures Bible Studies” explains it this way:
- A faithful friend is willing to sacrifice.
- A faithful friend defends you when others accuse.
- A faithful friend allows you to be vulnerable and unguarded.
- A faithful friend keeps encouraging and affirming you.
Faithfulness is even a fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23 NASB)
Take the next steps: In what relationships or parts of your life can you be more faithful? Do you have friends who provide steps 1-4 above for you, and are you that friend to someone else?
Learn more about eponyms.
Learn more about Vidkun Quisling.
What else does the Bible teach about faithfulness? Read more here.
S.D.G./S.G.D.
