Among the many gifts given this time of year, I often see people wearing a new necklace or bracelet.  Some people wear a specific type of jewelry as a sense of identity and others wear another kind that identifies them as someone with a special health concern.

There is another type of locket that can be worn around a person’s neck.  Solomon described it in Proverbs 3: Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.

Of all the gifts that we give and receive, love and loyalty are two of the most important.  When correctly worn, we are easily identified as a child of the King.

Loyalty is not something we wear for special occasions, nor is it a word to be casually spoken; instead, it is a lifestyle to be embraced; furthermore, our loyalty to our Lord should always be an ! and not a ?

Zig Ziglar was known for his wit and wisdom, and he once said:  The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.

As we move into 2014, I hope each of us can embed these characteristics as jewels and, tie them around our necks, and carve their initials in our hearts.