Learning to be Faithful

Categories: Brother to Brother.

May 10, 2015 // By:Dave // No Comment

I have decided to stir up a topic that should touch the heart of every single reader (not to mention any children they may have as well). In Matthew 25 we find a parable regarding three men entrusted with money belonging to their master commonly known as the parable of the talents.

 

talents_mainMatt. 25:14-28 ¶ “It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money. “After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner. “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’ “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent. “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least ? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest “‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb.

 

While this gives strong condemnation to those who “play it safe” and never go out on a limb, there is also a great encouragement here for those who “use well” what they have been given. Stewardship is the issue here. Showing you are faithful with a little bit reveals that you have the character to be trusted with more.

Our heavenly father does this with us more often than we are often aware. I can’t remember the last (or first) time God gave me or anyone I know a complete set of beginning to end instructions. He gives us a little at a time, so we have to learn to use what we have, being faithful with our little, until He gives us a little more.

I do this with my two boys. For example, I may tell one to go down the hall and turn the light on; nothing more. Once I see them trusting what I have told them and they do it do I give them the next step, perhaps stepping through a doorway to find a new toy waiting for them. I am teaching them to trust and to be faithful with their “little” so that they can be given more. When they are older, they ought to be far more able to obey God’s day by day instructions rather than missing out on blessings by always asking “but why, when, where?

So let me pose the question: how faithful are you, my reader, with what you are currently entrusted. Your job, your friends, your spouse, children, honesty in a tax return, giving back the wrong change at the check register ? Learning to be faithful with what and whom you have been currently entrusted is the only way God is ever going to entrust you with more. Here’s a four letter word … tithing ! “Yikes” I can hear many of you shouting now. Yes, I’m going there too LOL Tithing 10% of your income is the least you can do since it all belongs to Him anyways. Your heart and trust in God are evidenced in your checkbook too!

Here are two points to consider on tithing (and they apply to all other aspects of stewardship as well)

  1. Leading your heart (choosing to tithe when you don’t feel ready to do so helps to teach your heart to trust more which is what God is trying to do anyways, change your heart to trust Him more)
  2. No one, and I mean no one has ever regretted tithing 10% even when things were tight. You can’t outgive God.

The only way to learn to be faithful is to start doing it. In my book, faith is a verb. It’s constantly responding to whatever God entrusts to me and acting with it to the best I have to give. It starts with little steps and, as your confidence grows in Him, grows to larger steps to where you can confidently step into things that “if God doesn’t come through for me I am going to fall on my face” which is just where God wants me. Not on my face but totally relying on Him to come through for me.

Learn to be faithful with what you have and watch what God can do with that trust in your life.

in His service, Dave Cadieux

About Dave

Browse Archived Articles by Dave

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.