Attribute #19 - Reliability

 

Dad Whitaker

Reliability: Confident dependability; constancy, trustworthiness

1 Chronicles 28:7
Be constant to do my commandments and my judgments.

age 5

It's difficult to narrow down decades of experiences into just a single story, but that's what I promised. Being reliable means keeping your promises, something Dad Whitaker does all the time. We can depend upon him and know that he will always be there for us. (It goes without saying that this includes Mom as well.)

The first company Wayne worked for after college had a crazy up-and-down business cycle, which meant that lay-offs occurred regularly. The first time we heard rumors of that possibility, we figured we should have a plan in case Wayne lost his job. We called Dad, told him of the rumors, and asked if we (that included two little boys) could move in with them until Wayne found a new job, if in fact he was laid off. Dad graciously said yes. Fortunately, that scenario never came to pass, but the comfort of having a plan and knowing our parents were there for us was, and continues to be, an incredible blessing that can't be measured.

from a New Era article several years ago:

Of what value is trustworthiness? It seems like such a simple virtue, and yet it means a great deal in our lives. People who are trustworthy are admired and respected. They are said to have integrity, a very fine sounding word which means that they are honorable and will keep their word. They can be depended upon to do what they say.

Christmas 1978

Last year's attribute - Integrity