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Loyalty is unwavering devotion to a friend.
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)
 In 1858, a man named John Gray was buried in old Greyfriars Churchyard in Edinburgh, Scotland. His grave was unmarked by any stone and became scarcely discernible over time. But for fourteen years the dead man's faithful dog kept constant watch over the grave. James Brown, the curator, remembers Gray’s funeral, and the dog, a Skye terrier called “Bobby,” was one of the most conspicuous of the mourners. The next morning Bobby was lying on the newly made mound. The curator drove Bobby out, but next morning he was there again. He was removed for the second time. The third morning was cold and wet, and when the old man saw the faithful animal lying shivering on the grave, he took pity on him and gave him some food. From that time until his own death, Bobby never spent a night away from his master’s tomb. Often in bad weather, they tried to keep him within doors, but his dismal howls made it clear that this interference was not agreeable to him, and he was always allowed to have his way. At almost any time during the day he could be seen about the churchyard, and no matter how rough the night, nothing could induce him to forsake that hallowed spot, whose identity he so faithfully preserved. (Quoted in Character Journal # 22, www.characterjournal.com)
Loyalty is a steadfast attachment that is not easily turned aside.
During a time of national anarchy and disloyalty, Ruth’s constant devotion to Naomi stands out as a shining example of loyalty.
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16, 17)
Loyalty is sharing the hopes and desires of your friends and compatriots.
Once when David was staying in the cave of Adullam, three of his mighty men came to meet him. While they were talking, David casually remarked, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well in Bethlehem, the one by the gate.” The three men conspired to meet David’s wish. They broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to him. But David refused to drink, saying, “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” (Excerpted from II Samuel 23:14-17)
Loyalty is the sacrificial support of one another.
“After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king's son. There was an immediate bond of love between them, and they became the best of friends. And Jonathan made a special vow to be David's friend, and he sealed the pact by giving him his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt.” (I Samuel 18:1-4)
An example from nature is the loyalty of Canadian geese toward their young. The geese lay their eggs in April, and because the mother must keep the eggs between 100.4°F and 101.3°F, she only leaves the nest for brief periods during the 28-day incubation. One spring in Alaska, an unseasonably late snowstorm struck. Dozens of geese snuggled their eggs beneath their warm bodies as the snow continued to fall. Three feet of snow fell that day, completely burying the surrounding area. Yet the mother geese would not abandon their eggs. When the snow melted in a few days, scores of dead geese were discovered. They had suffocated under the snow rather than abandoning their eggs. (Adapted from Character Journal # 22, www.characterjournal.com)
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