"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." Luke 16:10
Good morning, friends!
Am I a faithful person?
Before I answer that, let me consider the number of hats that I wear in any given day.
Wife. Mother.
Daughter. Sister. Sister-in-law. Aunt. Cousin. Niece. Granddaughter.
Housewife. Missionary. English teacher.
Friend. Neighbor. Colleague. Client.
Housekeeper. Cook. Entertainer. Organizer.
Encourager. Leader. Prayer warrior. Servant.
Like you, everyday I assume different roles with varying degrees of success. Many times it feels like a juggling act. As the responsibiliities accumulate, fatigue sets in and the many aspects of my daily life collide until at times, I drop the ball.
Do these failures mean that I am not a faithful person?
Webster's dictionary defines the word faithful as "having or showing true and constant support or loyalty; deserving trust: keeping your promises or doing what you are supposed to do." In order to be faithful by this definition, I must be trustworthy and supportive in my responsibilities.
There are many Bible verses that remind me what is most important in my life: my faithfulness in stewarding my life for God. God is as much interested in the big picture of my life as He is in my day to day living of it. Truthfully, the way that I live the life God has entrusted to me today determines my faithfulness in the living of it tomorrow.
This Bible verse in Luke 16 is a source of encouragement as well as a sober warning: "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." The context to this passage talks about financial faithfulness, so the practical aspect of life. The Lord reminds me that if I am faithful with the smallest responsibilities--maintaining order over my daily expending of His resources, for example--then I am also faithful in the areas of my life that count the most.
The warning of the verse is of course that if I am unfaithful in the "little things," then how can I ever expect to be faithful with the greater "riches" that God wants to entrust me?
I am not a perfect wife or mom or friend. I am not Miss Missionary of the Month, or daughter of the year. I am sure that my housekeeping will never grace a magazine cover.
But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't do my best to be faithful to serve the Lord in those areas of my life.
Am I giving the Lord honor in the "little" areas of my life? Can I be trusted with these responsibilities, and do my best to please the Lord in every hat I am called to wear today, so that later on, He can entrust greater tasks to my hands?
May the Lord find me faithful today.
Honestly, I got overwhelmed by your list, which represents almost all of us. I'm wondering what God thinks is faithful and what we think is faithful. It is so difficult to have meaningful relationships across the ocean, so I find myself trying and trying and never seeming to be as faithful as I'd like to be to the far-away connections. May the Lord give us wisdom!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were talking about the blog this morning, and I would have to agree with him. He believes as I do that my one driving goal should be faithfulness to God. If I am trying my best to please Him, then even when I fail in parts of my responsibilities for a day, He looks at my desire to be faithful to the Lord. I will never be perfect in any of these areas, but if I try to be faithful to the Lord, that is what ultimately matters. Thanks for your insight!
ReplyDelete