January 15, 2010

Faithfulness Results in Fruitfulness!

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things” - Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

There once was a bunch of tiny frogs, who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. Honestly…..no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: "Oh, WAY too difficult!!! " They will NEVER make it to the top!!!" or: "NOT a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!!!" The tiny frogs began collapsing one by one...except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher. The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!   No one will make it!!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up...But ONE continued higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn't give up!!! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top! Then all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal? It turned out...That the winner was DEAF!!! Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic...simply “Be Faithful to the task given to you!” Always think: God and I can do this!!!

Faithfulness is a devotion to a task done with all sincerity, commitment, and loyalty and most times amid discouragements and distractions. God is looking for such people who will carry out His will in their lives and ministry with out compromising and deviating from the plans of God. The US Marine Service Advertisement reads: “We accept commitments not applications”. Faithfulness is crucial to fulfill the will of God for our lives. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus talks about the use of God-given talents to Christians and how to effectively use those talents for the furtherance of God’s kingdom on earth. He also talks about how the faithful ones who put the best use of their talents rewarded on the return of their Master. This parable emphasizes the need to be productive and serving or working for the Lord using the talents or gifts he has given us. Three servants given talents in different proportions but only two uses those gifts to multiply (productive use if time and energy), the third one simply kept his cool, did not use but buried his God-given talents. The first two rewarded by the Master. Their Master told them, 'Well done, good and faithful servants! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' The idea is not doing the volume of work God is pleased with. God look for people who put the best use of God-given gift/s; does not matter small or big. The Master commends the faithful servants for their faithfulness in “few things.” The third one, who did not use his talent or gift, the Master scorns and calls him, “'wicked, lazy servant!”  If God returns today, how he will address us? Whatever we have, whether opportunities or abilities, those belong to God; we may posses them, but God owns it. God desires these gifts used for his work. The Lord provides us opportunities for service at a local church or fellowship, or work place or families in keeping with our ability to make use of them. In His coming, the number of talents really will not matter. The only question He will ask, “Have you been faithful in your use of the God-given talent/s or gift/s?”

Lives can always be busy, stressful, and increasingly surrounded and demanded by worldly needs for our time, talents, or treasures. When we ask God to help us in using his gifts to us He will continue to remind us to use those gifts for His glory. There may be discouragements and sometimes serving God may not be appreciated or recognized. But remember the appreciation for God-given tasks will come from God alone. He will reward His servants who diligently serve him. We serve "people" not "for people" but we serve "God" through serving His people and "for God." In fact, "faithfulness" is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23). Those who serve faithfully do so because they bear this fruit produced by the Holy Spirit. So be productive where the Lord has given you ability and make best use of the opportunity to serve Him with sincerity for His glory. Your efforts for the sake of God will not go in vain, it will bear much fruit in its time and you will be honored as you continue to serve Him.

Once at dawn an old man, walking along the beach. He noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea. Catching up with the youth, he asked what he was doing. The young man answered, “These stranded starfishes would die if left in the morning sun”. “But the beach goes on for miles and miles, and there are millions of starfish,” countered the old man. “How can your effort make any difference?” The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. 'It makes a difference to this one,' he said." Some may or may not notice the little things you do. But our Lord does not look “how much” you do but he looks your heart to know “how” you do and put use of his gifts. If your intentions are good, clear, driven by our Lord then, and have proper Godly men for accountability, then keep moving.

The Rev. Frederick B Meyer (1847 –1929), a friend of D. L. Moody and was a pastor and an evangelist in England involved in ministry and inner city mission work on both sides of the Atlantic once said, “Don’t' waste your time waiting and longing for large opportunities which may never come. But faithfully handle the little things that are always claiming your attention.”

Always remember Faithfulness always result in Fruitfulness!

Prayer: Lord, help me to use the gifts you have given me for the furtherance of your kingdom, no matter the gifts you have given me, big or small, numerous or few, noticed or unnoticed, appreciated or ignored. All that matter is, if whether or not I am proven “faithful” in your sight. Amen!

May you have a Godly Day!