By The Spirit - FAITHFULNESS
Guys. We are ONE WEEK INTO 2019. How crazy is that? I have loved this year already. My prayer for you is that you are feeling God pulling you into NEW pasture in 2019. He truly does want our lives overflowing with grace.
Today we are looking at FAITHFULNESS.
Ow, Lawd.
Faithfulness. Faithfulness has been such a large mantle of my young ministry life. When we are at a crossroads, and confused about where to go, the best thing we can do is be faithful. When we are lost, frustrated, broken-hearted, the BEST thing for our hearts is to recharge in faithfulness.
Faithfulness is the greek word “pistis” a feminine noun that can mean both the the noun of faith: belief, conviction, assurance, but also the word faithfulness, which means “a character of one who can be relied on.” Faithfulness produces character in us that makes the world lean on us when it needs help. Amazing.
Faithfulness, I believe at its core is simply trusting God as you are stewarding your moment. It is being faithful, with what the Lord has given you.
Some of you may be aware of the parable of the talents. This bit of scripture has marked eternally my life, and has directed my ship more than once as I serve God, minister at his church, love his people. In the parable, Jesus compares to the kingdom of God to a master of an estate who goes on a “long journey”. The master gives three of his servants portions of his estate and money to oversee. To one he gives five talents, to one two talents and to the last he gave one single talent.
The story goes on and it says “after a long time the man came home to settle his accounts.” The man is gone for a long time, transliterated it means a LIFETIME. The master comes home, and wants to know:
What did you do with what I gave you?
For all of us, we get hung up on the amount of stuff given. We see one dude get five talents, and one dude get one, and think “my goodness this is unfair, isn’t God a bit more just than this?” But the point of the story isn’t what you have been given: but what you did with what you were given.
Life is unfair. I know, NEWSFLASH. But really.
There is no reason I was born in Denver, Colorado to a kind, married, affluent family while another girl was born in India, unwanted, and left on a street by a young father to face life alone.
All of us will receive different amounts and portions of:
Affluence
Family Support
Education
Talent
Athleticism
Charisma
Looks
Societal Help
Some of us will have more education than others. More familial support than others. More societal help. But all of us WILL BE GIVEN a MEASURE of SOMETHING.
How then do we engage with what we have?
I work with 20 somethings all the time, who are prone PRONE to dreaming. The dream will seem so big to them they don’t know where to start. Every conversation I’ve had, for the last 8 years has been “start with what you have”. It’s so simple it’s silly. It’s so simple it’s profound.
You want to influence the world? Influence your workplace.
You want to change our government? Start with your town hall
You want to change your family? Start with yourself.
This is something I’m learning all over again 14 years into ministry. Be faithful with what have been given.
At the end of the parable of the talents, the master speaks to one of his servants, overjoyed with how this person stewarded their “talents” the places, faces, and gifts God gave them. He says:
”Well done, my good and FAITHFUL servant. You have been faithful with little, and I will now give you MUCH.”
This, my friends, is all I long to hear from my Jesus.
Whatever God has given you TODAY - be faithful with it. Don’t squander it. Don’t wish it away. Trust God, and work out your faithfulness, knowing SO MUCH MORE is in store.
Love,
jessie
Scripture Verses:
Matthew 25:14-29
Romans 1:17
1 Timothy 1:12-13