The extent of the teacher of God's faithfulness is the measure of his advancement in the curriculum.

Does he still select some aspects of his life to bring to his learning, while keeping others apart?

If so, his advancement is limited and his trust not yet firmly established.

Faithfulness is the teacher of God's trust in the Word of God to set all things right; not some but all.

Generally his faithfulness begins by resting on just some problems, remaining carefully limited for a time.

To give up all problems to one Answer is to reverse the thinking of the world entirely.

And that alone is faithfulness.

Nothing but that deserves the name.

Yet each degree, however small, is worth achieving.

Readiness, as the text notes, is not mastery.

True faithfulness, however, does not deviate.

Being consistent it is wholly honest.

Being unswerving it is full of trust.

Being based on fearlessness it is gentle.

Being certain it is joyous, and being confident it is tolerant.

Defenselessness attends it naturally, and joy is its condition.

Faithfulness, then, combines in itself the other attributes of God's teachers.

It implies acceptance of the Word of God and His definition of His Son.

It is to them (the Word of God and His definition of His Son) that faithfulness in the true sense is always directed.

Toward them it looks, seeking until it finds.

And having found, it rests in quiet certainty on that alone to which all faithfulness is due.